Migraines & headaches decisions — 2025

The Board granted service connection for chest scars and headaches, but denied service connection for tinnitus, PTSD to include depression and anxiety condition, left shin splints, right shin splints, left shoulder strain, right shoulder disability, bilateral foot condition, right knee strain, left knee strain, lumbar strain, and cervical strain.

The Veteran was granted an effective date of July 8, 2008 for the grant of service connection for chronic sinusitis. Other claims were denied.

The Board granted an effective date of October 5, 2023, for the award of service connection for migraines, including migraine variants.

The Board denied a rating higher than 10 percent for tinnitus and a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, but granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type II, diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities, diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, and proliferative diabetic retinopathy.

The Board remands the claims for a back disability and headaches to obtain additional VA examinations that address the functional loss due to flare-ups, prostrating attacks, and other symptoms as required by law.

The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's right knee and lumbar spine disabilities but granted a 30% rating for essential tremors in the right upper extremity. The claims for service connection for headaches, a right shoulder disorder, and bilateral hearing loss were remanded.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus, left ankle osteoarthritis, and tension headaches. The issues of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and hypothyroidism were remanded.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeal for increased initial disability ratings for nasal polyposis and chronic headaches due to the Veteran opting into the modernized appeals system.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a nose condition, cardiac condition, and headaches as there was no evidence to support that these conditions were incurred or aggravated during active duty.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an initial compensable rating for broken nose residuals with rhinitis, and for effective dates prior to March 14, 2022, and September 11, 2021, for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and sinus headache, respectively.

The Board granted a 50 percent rating for the Veteran's migraines based on characteristic prostrating attacks occurring more than once a month and causing severe economic inadaptability.

The Board granted service connection for a headache condition, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (claimed as non-Hodgkin's lymphoma), and a lower back condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 50 percent rating for migraine headaches, finding that the evidence did not show characteristic prostrating attacks or severe economic inadaptability prior to November 17, 2022.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for a higher disability rating for PTSD and migraine headaches, as the evidence did not support ratings in excess of 50 percent and 30 percent, respectively.

The Board denied increased ratings for PTSD, TBI, migraine headaches, asthma, lumbosacral strain, right leg stress fracture of tibia with shin splints and LCL sprain, and dyshidrotic eczema. However, it granted a 50 percent rating for migraines since April 13, 2021, an earlier effective date of May 6, 2020, but no earlier, for the 70 percent rating of PTSD; an earlier effective date of April 13, 2021, but no earlier, for the grant of service connection for TBI and the 50 percent rating of migraine headaches; and an earlier effective date of May 20, 2022, but no earlier, for the 30 percent rating of asthma.

The Board remands the claims for an increased rating of left pectoral muscle tear and service connection for a headache condition due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board remands the case to perform an audit of the Veteran's account and ensure he has been paid all due compensation for his service-connected conditions.

The Board denied service connection for arm, knee, migraine, and bilateral foot disabilities as well as higher ratings for various conditions due to a lack of evidence supporting the claims.

The Board granted a 50 percent initial rating for the Veteran's migraine headaches, finding that they caused very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability.

The Board denied increased ratings for the veteran's right knee, left ankle, right great toe, tension headaches and hypertension disabilities.