Migraines & headaches decisions — 2025

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and hemorrhoids, while remanding claims for a low back disability, left knee disability, tension headaches, GERD, chronic constipation, and hypertension.

The Board granted ratings of 70 percent for major depressive disorder and 40 percent for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, while denying higher ratings for sleep apnea with COPD and chronic headaches. TDIU was granted based on the service-connected major depressive disorder.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for an earlier effective date for service connection of posterior cervical fusion C5-C7 with degenerative arthritis of the spine, bilateral knee tendonitis and osteoarthritis, and tension headaches (also claimed as migraines).

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an increased rating in excess of 30 percent for migraine headaches, as the evidence did not support a finding that his attacks were productive of severe economic inadaptability.

The Board remands the claims for service connection due to a duty-to-assist error, as adequate medical opinions addressing the etiology of the Veteran's conditions were not obtained.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, an effective date prior to March 30, 2018, for the award of service connection for tinnitus, and a rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus. The Board also denied a compensable rating prior September 13, 2023, and a rating in excess of 10 percent on and after September 13, 2023, for maxillary sinusitis.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including Covid-19, lung disability, hair loss, IBS, bilateral hearing loss, back disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, eye disability, migraine disability, and tinnitus, as there was no evidence of current disabilities or a nexus to service.

The appeals for service connection for a bladder disorder, CFS, foot pain, and IBS were dismissed as untimely. The appeals for GERD, migraine headaches, thorax pain, and right knee disorder were remanded to correct duty to assist errors.

The Board denied a compensable rating for the Veteran's migraine headaches as the evidence showed they occurred less frequently than once every 2 months.

The Board granted an effective date of January 29, 2023, for the award of service connection for migraine including migraine variants and denied earlier effective dates for a 100 percent rating for PTSD with alcohol use disorder as well as compensable ratings for sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, and asthma with restrictive lung disease.

The Board granted an increased initial disability rating of 50 percent for chronic recurrent tenso-vascular headaches prior to August 30, 2016, and 20 percent for left and right foot callosities prior to March 7, 2023. The claims for higher ratings from March 7, 2023, onward were denied.

The Board denied service connection for a bladder condition, headaches, neck condition, sinus condition, and skin condition as there was no evidence of a qualifying chronic disability.

The Board denied service connection for a psychiatric disability to include PTSD, major depressive disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder as the Veteran's claimed in-service stressors were not verified and there was no competent evidence linking his current disabilities to active service.

The Board granted service connection for a migraine disorder, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor and finding that the Veteran's migraine disorder had its onset during active service.

The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and chronic migraine headaches based on evidence showing their onset during the Veteran's active-duty military service.

The Board denied service connection for headaches as the evidence did not support a finding that the Veteran's headaches were related to active-duty service.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and posttraumatic headaches were granted increased ratings, with an effective date of November 30, 2020.

The Board granted service connection for headaches as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected back condition and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, but denied service connection for right hand carpal tunnel, left hand carpal tunnel, and a rating in excess of 40 percent for degenerative arthritis, intervertebral disc syndrome, and lumbar strain (back condition). The Board also remanded the issue of entitlement to a total individual disability rating based on unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various conditions due to deficiencies in the record and VA's duty to assist.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and tension headaches, finding that the Veteran's tinnitus had its onset during service and is related to in-service acoustic trauma. The tension headaches are also found to be caused by the service-connected tinnitus.