Migraines & headaches decisions — 2026

The Board granted a 50 percent evaluation for headaches, effective January 1, 2020, finding that the Veteran's very frequent and prolonged attacks of headache pain have resulted in severe economic inadaptability.

The Board has ordered remand for the issues of entitlement to an increased rating for lumbosacral spine degenerative disc disease, service connection for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a headache disorder, and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The Veteran is not provided with proper notice regarding his right to a hearing under 38 C.F.R. §​3.103(b)(1) and (d)(1). Additionally, the VA back examination was inadequate as it did not address functional loss due to pain or ameliorative effects of medications.

The Board has denied service connection for various disabilities, including left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, osteoarthritis (claimed as a chronic pain disability), back disability, fibromyalgia, and migraine headaches. The evidence does not support a causal relationship between these conditions and the Veteran's in-service herbicide agent exposure or any other in-service disease or injury.

The Board has determined that the March 2025 VA examiner's opinion is inadequate and remands the case for a new examination to determine if the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea was caused or aggravated by his service-connected migraine headaches, with obesity as an intermediate step.

Service connection is granted for headaches and sleep apnea, both of which are determined to have onset during active service.,The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been rated at the lowest possible level (0%) due to current hearing levels not meeting criteria for a higher rating.

The Veteran's claims for left shoulder dislocation, migraine headaches, left wrist ankylosis, insomnia, and bilateral hearing loss have been denied as there is no current diagnosis of these conditions at any time during the appeal period.,The Veteran's claim for lumbosacral strain has been remanded due to inadequate medical opinion.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to the need for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran has recurrent head injury residuals, including TBI residuals and a headache disability. The examination must consider the Veteran's subjective history of injuries during basic training.

The appellant has withdrawn his appeal concerning service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety with outbursts, lower back pain, and chronic headaches, right and left shoulder pain, and appropriate ratings for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's claim for a higher disability evaluation for migraine headaches was granted, but the appeal to establish service connection for migraine headaches is dismissed as moot.

The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for migraine headaches was denied. For the period from September 24, 2024, the Veteran received a 70% rating for adjustment disorder with anxiety and depressed mood. The claims for ratings greater than 50% for this condition were denied for periods between June 30, 2023 to September 23, 2024, and from October 9, 2021 to June 29, 2023.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU was denied because the Board found that he had substantially gainful employment during the period of the appeal, despite his service-connected disabilities.

The appeal for a rating in excess of 30 percent for adjustment disorder unspecified, chronic with insomnia is dismissed.,The appeal for service connection for CFS is denied.,The appeals for service connection for IBS, BHL, and breathing issues are dismissed.,The appeals for service connection for left foot gout, migraines, OSA, and body dysmorphia are remanded.

The Veteran's unspecified anxiety disorder is related to service and granted.,Service connection for a TBI and migraines, as secondary to the claimed TBI, are denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including TBI, PTSD, migraines, right knee pain, and tinnitus, have rendered him unable to secure or maintain gainful employment. The Board has granted a total rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's claim for service connection for migraines was granted with an effective date of June 9, 2021. A 100% rating for PTSD is granted from January 8, 2021 to July 11, 2023. Effective date of January 8, 2021 for DEA benefits and a new effective date for SMC is also granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and allergic rhinitis are denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for headaches, to include as due to herbicide exposure, is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for migraine headaches, but has remanded the issue of service connection for diabetes mellitus II (DM II).

The Board has granted service connection for headaches as secondary to PTSD with insomnia, finding that the Veteran's statements describing his symptoms are credible and resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a headache disability was initially filed in April 1971, but the Board found that it could not be reasonably inferred that the claim was denied by any rating decision prior to the February 2023 rating decision. The date of claim is therefore April 21, 1971. However, entitlement to service connection for a headache disorder did not arise until June 13, 2025. Therefore, an effective date prior to February 24, 2022 is not warranted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for herpetic whitlow and obstructive sleep apnea were denied. The claim for an initial rating higher than 50 percent for migraines from August 1, 2024 to September 30, 2024 was granted, but the appeal for a higher rating after that date is dismissed. The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded.