Migraines & headaches decisions — 2025

The Board denied service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome and remanded the claims for tension headaches and allergic rhinosinusitis due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Board denied service connection for a headache disability and remanded the issue of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, to include as secondary to an acquired psychiatric disability.

The Board granted an effective date of October 21, 2021, for the grant of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, right and left lower extremity restless leg syndrome, and fatigue. The reduction of the disability rating for a migraine from 50% to 30% was found improper.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability, headaches disability, and a left lower extremity radiculopathy associated with intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS) and degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine, status post discectomy. The claims for coughing disability, GERD, and cervical spine disability were remanded.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for a higher rating for tension headaches, a compensable rating for erectile dysfunction, and special monthly compensation for loss of use of a creative organ prior to August 12, 2022.

The Board granted restoration of the TBI rating to 40% and the headache disability rating to 30%, effective December 1, 2023, as well as special monthly compensation based on housebound criteria.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, migraines, and hepatitis C. The claims for hepatitis B and A were also granted, but the claim for a right shoulder condition and a skin condition was remanded.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the evaluation of PTSD and TBI with dizziness and hyposmia, as well as for the award of service connection for post concussive headaches.

The Board denied service connection for various disabilities, including a right shoulder disability, right wrist disability, cervical spine disability, right hand peripheral neuropathy, migraine disability, and psychiatric disorder.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased rating for tension type headaches, a compensable rating for pseudofolliculitis barbae, and service connection for left and right elbow conditions.

The Board remands the claims for higher initial ratings for service-connected psychiatric disability and headaches due to pre-decisional failure of the duty to assist based on inadequate evidentiary development and examinations.

The Board denied a compensable evaluation for migraine headaches and remanded the claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea.

The Board remands the claim for an adequate medical opinion that addresses secondary service connection.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and migraines to schedule VA examinations as the Veteran has not yet been afforded any VA examinations pertaining to his claims.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and a separate 30 percent rating for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) as a residual of the service-connected TBI, but denied initial compensable ratings for both the TBI residuals and migraine.

The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's right and left knee disabilities, granted a separate 20 percent rating for right knee instability from March 14, 2022, and denied service connection for insomnia. The appeal also includes remanded claims for secondary service connection for various conditions.

The Board denied an initial rating for migraine headaches in excess of 50 percent and an effective date earlier than February 29, 2020, for service connection and an initial 50 percent rating for migraine headaches.

The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for the 50 percent disability evaluation of service-connected migraines was granted, with March 13, 2022, as the earliest possible effective date.

The veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection of multiple conditions, including left and right knee disabilities, tension headaches, elbow and wrist disabilities, lumbar spine disability, sciatica of the right leg, and erectile dysfunction.

The Board denied ratings in excess of 50 percent for chronic sinusitis, 10 percent for tinnitus, and 30 percent for cervical strain. It granted an initial rating of at least 10 percent for right tibia fracture residuals effective January 26, 2018, and at least 20 percent effective June 2, 2021. The Board remanded several other issues including secondary service connection claims.