Migraines & headaches decisions — 2025

The Board remanded the Veteran's claims for specially adapted housing and a special home adaptation grant due to errors in the duty to assist. The Veteran will undergo further medical examinations.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 50 percent rating for migraine headaches, stating that it was not factually ascertainable that the migraines met the criteria for this rating before October 27, 2020.

The veteran's claim for service connection of headaches was dismissed because the veteran withdrew the appeal.

The veteran was granted service connection for a right-hand disability and a 10% rating for hypertension. All other claims were denied.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities, including TBI, DDD, and urinary incontinence, have been determined to preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation. Therefore, he is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board denied service connection for all claimed disabilities, including foot, ankle, knee, wrist, back, joint pain, mouth, erectile dysfunction, IBS, headache, tinnitus, and psychiatric disorders.

The veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has been granted. The OSA is considered secondary to the veteran's service-connected PTSD, sinusitis, hypertension, and migraine headaches.

The veteran's claim for service connection for a headache disability and an increased rating for tinnitus was denied. The claims for psychiatric disorders, left shoulder impingement, and left shoulder superficial paresthesia were remanded.

The veteran's rating for migraine headaches was increased to 10 percent effective April 1, 2015. The request for a higher rating for bipolar disorder was denied.

The Veteran's appeal for sleep apnea was dismissed. A compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied. The appeals for colon cancer, bladder disability, acquired psychiatric disability, and headaches were remanded.

The Board denied service connection for all claimed conditions, including allergic rhinitis, psychiatric disorders, chronic fatigue syndrome, and others, based on the Veteran's presence in the Southwest Asia theater of operations.

The veteran's claims for service connection for cervical radiculitis and headaches associated with photophobia were granted. The claims for right wrist condition, left wrist condition, and sleep apnea were remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, other than PTSD, finding that her symptoms were fully encompassed by her already service-connected PTSD. The Board also remanded the claim for a headache condition to obtain further medical evidence.

The Board granted an increased initial disability rating of 30 percent for migraine headaches prior to January 1, 2016, and a 50 percent disability rating from that date. The Board also remanded the issue of entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board granted a 50 percent rating for the entire appeal period for chronic headaches and a total evaluation based on individual unemployability due to service connected disabilities from April 30, 2009 to April 1, 2022.

The veteran's service connection for a headache disability was granted. The rating decision for obstructive sleep apnea was remanded.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for several conditions, stating that new and relevant evidence was not received.

The Board denied the veteran's request for an earlier effective date for a 50 percent rating for service-connected migraine headaches. The decision was based on a lack of evidence showing that the veteran's symptoms warranted a 50 percent rating before February 8, 2021.

The veteran's claim for a higher rating for tension headaches was denied. The claims for service connection for unspecified joint pain and muscle pain were remanded for further evaluation.

The veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was granted. All other claims were denied or remanded.