Migraines & headaches decisions — 2025

The Board denied service connection for various conditions and an initial rating in excess of the assigned ratings for PTSD with moderate alcohol use disorder, left shoulder strain with rotator cuff strain, and right shoulder strain with rotator cuff strain.

The Board denied service connection for tinnitus, migraine headaches, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD), a disability rating in excess of 30 percent for irritable bowel syndrome post cholecystectomy with gastroesophageal reflux disease and gastritis, and a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for hemorrhoids.

The Board granted a 50 percent initial evaluation for headaches, but remanded the issue of entitlement to TDIU.

The Board remands the issues of entitlement to service connection for headaches and an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, anxiety, sleep disorder, and alcohol use disorder, due to a duty to assist error.

The Board granted a 50 percent rating for migraine headaches from February 17, 2023, based on the Veteran's very frequent, completely prostrating, prolonged attacks that are productive of severe economic inadaptability.

The Board granted service connection for right and left knee, cervical spine, lumbar spine, and sciatic radiculopathy disabilities but denied increased ratings for the psychiatric disorder and other conditions.

The Board remands the claim for a headache disability to afford the Veteran a VA examination and medical opinion.

The Board granted earlier effective dates for the award of service connection for bilateral lower extremity radiculopathies, restored a higher disability rating for degenerative disc disease and lumbar strain with degenerative arthritis of the spine, restored a previous disability rating for radiculopathy of femoral nerve, right lower extremity, and granted an increased 50 percent disability rating for migraines.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for chronic headaches and a bilateral eye disability, to include blurry vision, due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral pes planus and vertigo, while remanding claims for sciatica nerve pain, headache condition, and low back condition.

The Board granted service connection for the Veteran's headache condition, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding that the evidence did not support higher ratings or service connection for any of the conditions appealed.

The Board denied entitlement to accrued benefits and DIC benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1318 because the Veteran did not meet the statutory requirements. The Board remanded entitlement to service connection for cause of death and survivor's pension benefits to obtain a medical opinion on whether the Veteran's service-connected PTSD aggravated his sleep apnea.

The Board granted service connection for a headache disorder, finding it to be secondary to the Veteran's service-connected tinnitus.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for a cervical spine disorder and a headache disorder as secondary to service connected degenerative disc disease with degenerative arthritis and spinal stenosis of the lumbar spine, due to insufficient evidence.

The Board denied service connection for a traumatic brain injury and a headache condition, finding no evidence of current diagnoses or in-service incurrences. The right shoulder disability claim was remanded for further development.

The appeal seeking a compensable rating for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) was dismissed as the Veteran's December 2024 Notice of Disagreement was not valid due to concurrent election of administrative review options.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and an earlier effective date, as the maximum schedular rating of 100 percent for PTSD with persistent depressive disorder and traumatic brain injury has been in effect since April 19, 2019.

The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain and allergic rhinitis, assigned a 10 percent rating for allergic rhinitis, and denied service connection for the other conditions.

The Board granted service connection for headaches and denied increased ratings for left and right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome as well as a compensable rating for a right wrist scar from CTS surgery.