Migraines & headaches decisions — 2026

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to insufficient examination results. The remaining issues of service connection have been denied.

The Veteran's left ankle disability and headache disorder secondary to PTSD with alcohol use disorder have been granted increased ratings, effective September 16, 2018.

The Board has granted service connection for degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine and dismissed the appeal regarding service connection for headaches. The proposed severance of service connection for hypertension is also dismissed as a matter of law.

The Veteran's claims for a compensable rating for service-connected speech impairment, service connection for headaches/migraines, and service connection for Meniere's disease are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been remanded due to the submission of new and relevant evidence. The issues include anxiety, PTSD, migraines, right shoulder disability, and back pain.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded due to a duty to assist error. The AOJ must obtain private treatment records from the Veteran's identified providers and then adjudicate his claim based on the complete record.

The Veteran's migraines are granted as secondary to his service-connected psychiatric disorder. The claim for bilateral flat feet is remanded due to a lack of an adequate opinion regarding aggravation.

The Veteran's tinnitus had its onset in service and is granted service connection.,A compensable rating for chronic pansinusitis prior to August 15, 2025 is remanded due to a duty-to-assist error.,A compensable rating for migraine with migraine variants is remanded due to a duty-to-assist error.,Service connection for sleep apnea is remanded due to a duty-to-assist error and the need for a toxic exposure risk activity (TERA) opinion pursuant to the PACT Act.,Service connection for right hip disability (osteoarthritis) is remanded due to a duty-to-assist error.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to a lack of proper medical opinions and procedural errors in obtaining those opinions.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 100 percent for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and TBI prior to December 4, 2020 was denied. The Board found that the MDD criteria warranted a higher rating but the maximum schedular rating is already assigned.,The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 50 percent for Posttraumatic Headaches as of October 13, 2023 was denied. The VA examiner found that the Veteran experienced characteristic prostrating attacks more than once per month but not completely prostrating and prolonged attacks.

The Veteran's sciatic nerve lower left and right extremity radiculopathy claims are granted. The Veteran's migraine headaches claim is denied.

The reduction of the rating for tension headaches from 50 percent to noncompensable was improper, so the rating is restored to 50 percent.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are rated at a maximum of 50 percent, the highest possible rating under VA guidelines.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and earlier effective dates in several of his claims, including those related to TBI, left shoulder, lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis, posttraumatic migraine headaches, and TDIU. The issues have been remanded for further examination and evaluation.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for weight gain, sleep disorder, BPPV, and headache disorder are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.,Specifically, a VA examiner is required to provide an opinion regarding whether the Veteran's BPPV and headache disorder are causally or etiologically related to his military service.

The Board has granted a 30 percent rating for service-connected headaches prior to April 24, 2024. However, the issue of entitlement to a higher disability rating is remanded due to a duty-to-assist error.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of sinusitis, bilateral shin splints, gastroenteritis, headaches, left hip pain, vertigo, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, lower back pain, or radiculopathy of the right lower extremity. As such, service connection for these conditions is denied.,The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of fibromyalgia and did not receive a VA examination prior to the June 2024 rating decision on appeal regarding whether fibromyalgia had its onset in service or is otherwise related to her service. As such, service connection for this condition is remanded.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded to obtain a VA examination for his claimed headache disorder, which may be related to his service-connected chronic bilateral cerumen impaction.

The Veteran's service-connected migraines are granted a 50% evaluation, effective from the date of the April 2021 decision. The issue of TDIU is remanded.

The Board has denied service connection for headaches, an eye disability, a respiratory disability (including allergic rhinitis and bronchitis), and a skin disability (porphyria cutanea tarda) as there is insufficient evidence to support these claims.