Migraines & headaches decisions — 2025

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and dismissed the claims for lumbosacral strain, migraine headaches, and acne. The claims for acquired psychiatric disorder and left wrist condition were remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is granted an evaluation of 70 percent disabling, but no higher. Other claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied or remanded.

The Board remands the claims for service connection and effective dates due to inadequate VA medical opinions.

The Board granted a 50 percent rating for migraine headaches, effective from the date of service connection.

The Board denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, and remanded the claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a right shoulder disability, a right knee disability, and headaches due to insufficient evidence.

The Board granted service connection for residuals of a fall injury, including back and neck disorders (claimed as migraines, right ear pain radiating into the right side of head, right side of the neck, right eye and TMJ), based on new evidence received.

The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, diagnosed as generalized anxiety disorder and alcohol use disorder. The other claims were denied.

The Veteran was granted a 30 percent rating for migraines but denied an earlier effective date for service connection prior to May 30, 2023.

The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for service-connected other specified trauma and stressor-related disorder, denied an initial compensable rating for service-connected erectile dysfunction, and readjudicated the claims of entitlement to service connection for left and right hand numbness based on new evidence. The remaining claims were remanded.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, to include a sleep disorder and a headache disability as the evidence of record did not support the claims.

The Board granted a 30 percent rating for the left foot disorder and denied ratings in excess of 30 percent for IBS, chronic bronchitis, and headaches. The Board also granted a 10 percent rating for the left hip disorder and denied higher ratings.

The Board's September 4, 2025 decision was vacated due to a failure to address clear and unmistakable error arguments, depriving the Veteran of due process.

The Board granted a 40 percent rating for TBI residuals and a 20 percent rating for right ankle ligament laxity, while denying an increased rating for right ankle instability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for various disabilities, including lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, radiculopathy of both femoral and sciatic nerves, tension headaches, residual scarring, and PTSD.

The Board remands the issue of entitlement to service connection for headaches, to include as secondary to bilateral tinnitus, due to an inadequate medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's headaches and his service-connected tinnitus.

The Board granted a 10 percent rating for hypertension and TDIU due to PTSD, while denying service connection for a neck disability and remanding claims for vasovagal syncope and migraine headaches.

The Board dismissed the veteran's appeals for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, cervical strain, esophagus stricture, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and migraine headaches due to untimely notice of disagreement. The appeal for B-cell lymphoma was remanded for further development.

The appeal for service connection for depression was dismissed as it is subsumed by the already service-connected PTSD. A 50 percent rating for cluster headaches was granted, and a higher rating for autoimmune hepatitis was denied.

The Board granted service connection for a back condition but denied service connection for hypertension, heart condition, and migraines. The claim for sleep apnea was remanded.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD and a rating in excess of 20 percent for the lumbar spine back disability, as the evidence did not show symptoms productive of total occupational and social impairment or greater severity.