Migraines & headaches decisions — 2025

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and headaches, and assigned a 10% rating for right armpit dermatitis. IBS was denied, while claims for other conditions were either denied or remanded.

The Board granted service connection for cervical and lumbar conditions, chronic migraines, MDD, and readjudicated the claims for hives, lung scarring, elbow, and ankle conditions as secondary to Valley Fever.

The Board remands the issues of an initial disability rating in excess of 30 percent for migraine headaches from May 1, 2008 to March 15, 2018 and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) for further development.

The Board granted service connection for residuals of a TBI, temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMD), and residuals of a broken nose. The Veteran was also granted an earlier effective date for left lower extremity radiculopathy and an initial disability rating of 40 percent for the same condition.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing and following any substantially gainful employment prior to June 14, 2022.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 30 percent for headaches as there was no evidence that his headaches were frequent, completely prostrating and prolonged to be productive of severe economic inadaptability.

The appeal as to entitlement to service connection for migraines is dismissed because the Veteran's claim has already been granted.

The veteran withdrew his appeal for all claims, including those related to various disabilities and service connection.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for increased ratings and a TDIU, dismissed an earlier effective date claim for LLER, and denied SMC based on housebound status.

The Board granted earlier effective dates of April 13, 2022 for the awards of service connection for PTSD, headaches, and benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.

The Board granted service connection for vertigo, migraine, and tinnitus but denied it for an eye disability, left knee arthritis, nerve damage post removal of wisdom tooth, right arm arthritis, and right knee arthritis.

The Board granted service connection for cervical spine disability, GERD with hiatal hernia, and sleep apnea while denying service connection for hypothyroidism, TMJ, stress headaches, and other conditions. The effective dates for the grants of service connection were not earlier than February 27, 2021.

The Board denied service connection for erectile dysfunction and denied increased ratings for a painful post-right inguinal hernia repair scar, hemorrhoids, and migraine headaches. The reduction of the rating for prostate cancer from 100 percent to 60 percent was upheld.

The Board denied a compensable rating for headaches prior to August 17, 2024 and a rating in excess of 30 percent from that date due to the lack of evidence showing characteristic prostrating attacks or very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability.

The appeal regarding entitlement to service connection for various conditions was dismissed due to an improper concurrent election of review options.

The Board remands the claim for a new medical opinion to determine if the Veteran's migraines are secondary to his service-connected PTSD.

The Board granted service connection for right knee strain, left knee strain, lumbar radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, and lumbar radiculopathy of the left lower extremity. It also granted initial ratings for various disabilities including a 20 percent rating for lumbar degenerative disc disease with intervertebral disc syndrome, spondylosis, and spondylolisthesis, a 30 percent rating for labral tear, including superior labral anterior-posterior lesion, status post surgical repair, and higher ratings for other conditions.

The Board denied service connection for a left shoulder disorder, left ankle disorder, right ankle disorder, right shoulder disorder, headaches, and low back disorder. The Board also denied an increased rating for PTSD with recurrent major depressive disorder, mild, with anxious distress (PTSD) from October 22, 2020 to July 10, 2021.

The Board remands the claim for a TDIU to obtain an addendum VA medical opinion regarding the impact of the Veteran's lower extremity pain on his ability to perform sedentary or physical activities of employment.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for headaches and brain tumor to obtain additional evidence, including an adequate examination.