Migraines & headaches decisions — 2025

The Board denied entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disability prior to April 28, 2020, and denied earlier effective dates for DEA benefits. The Board granted restoration of a 50 percent disability rating for migraines effective July 1, 2023, but denied ratings in excess of the assigned levels for other conditions.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral pes planus and plantar fasciitis, an initial rating of 50 percent for migraine headaches, but denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), traumatic brain injury (TBI), a compensable rating for erectile dysfunction, and a higher rating for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The Board granted service connection for migraine headaches as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), alcohol use disorder, and an unspecified depressive disorder.

The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for thunderclap migraines and remanded the claims for increased ratings for left and right hip disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an increased rating and earlier effective date for migraines, as well as for an increased rating and earlier effective date for acne.

The Board granted a 50 percent evaluation for migraine headaches and a 30 percent evaluation for chronic sinusitis, while remanding the issue of entitlement to TDIU.

The Board granted an effective date of April 2, 2020, for the award of a 30 percent evaluation for migraine headaches.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for a higher disability rating and earlier effective dates, as well as his TDIU claim.

The Board granted service connection for tension headaches, obstructive sleep apnea, and erectile dysfunction, with an initial rating of 50 percent for the tension headaches.

The Board granted an effective date of April 26, 2018, for the award of service connection for multiple sclerosis and associated conditions, chronic migraine headaches, and trigeminal neuralgia.

The Board granted an earlier effective date for the right calf scar and a TDIU, but denied increased ratings for various conditions.

The Board granted an effective date of July 19, 2023 for the award of service connection for left ear hearing loss and tinnitus, but denied an earlier effective date for headaches. The initial compensable disability rating for left ear hearing loss was also denied.

The Board granted service connection for sleep apnea, right wrist sprain, left wrist disability manifested by pain, left foot arthritis, right foot arthritis and hallux valgus, headaches, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, degenerative changes of the cervical spine, right lateral epicondylitis (claimed as right arm disability), and left upper extremity cervical radiculopathy (claimed as left arm disability and left elbow disability).

The Board granted a 70 percent rating for major depressive disorder (MDD) and denied an increased rating in excess of 30 percent for migraine headaches.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for erectile dysfunction and migraines, to include as secondary to service-connected disabilities, due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD and remanded the claim for further development regarding migraine headaches.

The Board remands the claim for an initial compensable rating for migraine headaches to obtain a complete report from Dr. Klafter's office visit on November 5, 2019.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a higher initial rating for his service-connected headaches, finding that the evidence did not support a rating higher than 30 percent.

The Board granted service connection for both migraine headaches and obstructive sleep apnea, finding a nexus between the Veteran's current conditions and his exposure to toxic substances during military service.

The Board remands the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, headaches (also claimed as migraines), and residuals of a stroke, to include slurred speech and memory loss, for further development.