Migraines & headaches decisions — 2025

The Board remands the claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, hiatal hernia (gastroesophageal reflux disease), and migraines as the VA medical opinions provided are inadequate.

The Board granted service connection for tension headaches and an initial 20 percent rating for cervical strain.

The Board granted the petition to reopen a previously denied claim for service connection for headaches and remanded the claims for service connection for headaches and an increased rating for sarcoidosis.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various conditions, including migraines, tinnitus, sleep disorder, recurrent fainting, bowel condition, hysterectomy, ovarian cysts, scar tissue, miscarriage, fibroids, heavy menstruation, skin disorder, hair loss condition, and stiff-man syndrome, due to gaps in the Veteran's service treatment records and inadequate medical opinions.

The Board granted a 50 percent rating for posttraumatic headaches from November 6, 2016, to June 22, 2022, due to the Veteran's frequent prostrating attacks and their potential impact on his economic adaptability.

The Board denied an increased rating for tinnitus and remanded several claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence.

The Board granted a 10 percent disability rating for the Veteran's headache disability, finding that it was at least in part post-traumatic and manifested by three or more subjective symptoms that mildly interfere with functioning.

The Board granted service connection for sinusitis and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and assigned a 30 percent rating for migraine headaches.

The Board granted service connection for left shoulder strain, headaches, a right shoulder strain rating of 30 percent, and ratings of 20 percent each for the right knee and left knee strains. The Board also granted a 10 percent rating for sinusitis.

The veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection for erectile dysfunction and migraine headaches, and the Board has no jurisdiction to review these matters.

The Board granted an initial 30 percent rating for post-traumatic headaches, but remanded the claims for increased ratings and TDIU due to service-connected traumatic brain injury.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal of all 13 issues listed in his November 2024 notice of disagreement.

The Board granted service connection for residuals of a left knee injury, sinusitis, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and granted higher ratings of 40 percent each for thoracolumbar spine disability, radiculopathy in the left lower extremity, and headaches.

The Board remands the claim for service connection for headaches to obtain an adequate medical opinion that considers direct service connection based on the Veteran's MOS.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the 70 percent evaluation for TBI with persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia) and PTSD, but granted an effective date of November 14, 2014, for a 50 percent evaluation for headaches.

The Board remands the claims for a rating in excess of 30 percent, prior to April 16, 2019, and in excess of 50 percent thereafter, for bilateral plantar fasciitis with pes planus with scar; a rating in excess of 40 percent for degenerative disc disease thoracic back strain; a rating in excess of 30 percent for migraine headaches; a rating in excess of 30 percent for sinusitis with rhinitis; and service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Board denied an initial evaluation higher than 30 percent for service-connected persistent depression with anxious distress and remanded the claims for service connection for various conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for migraine headaches and PTSD, and remanded the claim for a TBI rating.

The Board granted an effective date of May 10, 2017, for the award of service connection for migraines and remanded a claim for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent prior to September 30, 2020.

The appeal for a rating in excess of 50 percent for headaches was denied, while the Veteran's entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) was granted.