Migraines & headaches decisions — 2025

The Board granted an initial 50 percent rating for migraines based on the Veteran's headache symptoms that approximate very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable rating for her service-connected chronic headaches was dismissed due to the untimeliness of her VA Form 10182.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for migraine headaches and sleep apnea to correct duty-to-assist errors, requiring new VA examinations with adequate rationale.

The Board granted service connection for migraine headaches, finding that they are proximately due to the Veteran's service-connected tinnitus.

The Board dismissed all appeals for service connection of various conditions, including insomnia, asthma, migraines, sleep apnea, erectile dysfunction, hypertension, bilateral hearing loss disability, pseudofolliculitis barbae, clavicle and shoulder disabilities, arm and leg radiculopathies, hip and knee disabilities, ankle disabilities, shin splints, and plantar fasciitis.

The Board granted an increased rating of 50 percent for migraine headaches, effective December 7, 2020, but denied an extra-schedular rating in excess of 50 percent.

The Veteran was granted a 50 percent rating for migraine headaches effective from March 10, 2021, and TDIU.

The Veteran's migraine headaches were productive of characteristic prostrating attacks occurring approximately once a week that are not prolonged and are not capable of producing severe economic inadaptability, thus denying the claim for a higher disability rating.

The Board remands the issues of entitlement to an increased rating for chronic bronchitis, service connection for tension headaches (claimed as migraines), and service connection for anxiety and depression due to a need for additional evidence.

The Board remands the issues of entitlement to an initial rating higher than 70 percent for service-connected major depressive disorder, recurrent, moderate with anxious distress and traumatic brain injury (TBI), as well as the claims for service connection for Fuchs' corneal dystrophy, left and right eyes, and cervicogenic headaches, for further development.

The Board denied service connection for a recurrent thyroid disability to include hyperthyroidism and remanded several other claims, including those for craniocervical spine, upper extremity neurological, headache, eye, leg, foot, fibromyalgia, temporary total ratings, and TDIU.

The Board granted an earlier effective date of December 22, 2022, for the award of service connection for migraines.

The Board denied an evaluation in excess of 30 percent for the Veteran's headaches and remanded the issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection for migraine headaches and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as there were no specific errors of fact or law properly before the Board.

The Board denied earlier effective dates for service connection and increased rating claims, finding that the earliest allowable date under law is January 19, 2022.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to his service-connected disabilities, which render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, headaches, and sleep apnea to correct pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of April 14, 2022, for the grant of a 30 percent rating for service-connected migraine with migraine variants was granted.

The Board denied service connection for right ear hearing loss, chronic migraine headaches, sinusitis, and insomnia as the evidence did not support a current disability at any time during or approximate to the pendency of the claim.

The Board denied an effective date prior to September 7, 2023 for the assignment of a separate, compensable rating for headaches associated with chronic sinusitis.