Migraines & headaches decisions — 2026

The Veteran's service connection claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder, chronic headaches, and obstructive sleep apnea are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and opinions.

The Board denied service connection for Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Headache Disorder due to lack of in-service diagnosis or treatment, and the absence of a causal relationship between these conditions and service. The claim for Headache Disorder is remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's left foot pain to include plantar fasciitis is denied as the evidence does not support a finding that it began during service or is related to service.,Service connection for migraine including migraine variants is granted as there is evidence showing the disability began during service and continues to persist.,Chronic sinusitis is denied as the Veteran's current diagnosis of allergic rhinitis did not begin during service, nor was he exposed to burn pit toxins that would allow for presumptive service connection under VA regulations.,Right foot heel condition is denied due to lack of evidence showing a nexus between the current disability and service.,PTSD is denied as there is no evidence of an in-service stressor or post-service diagnosis meeting DSM-5 criteria.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for sleep apnea has been dismissed as the claim was resolved by a grant of service connection in April 2025.,Claims for effective dates prior to September 25, 2024, for separate ratings for lumbar spine facet degeneration L5-S1 and left foot degenerative changes of first MTP joint and mid foot are dismissed as the Veteran did not file an unadjudicated claim or provide evidence that a disability increase occurred during the year preceding the claims.

The Veteran's chronic rhinitis is granted as service connected due to exposure to burn pits during his Southwest Asia service. Right ear hearing loss and tinnitus are denied, with no current diagnosis found. Headache disorder remains in dispute.

The Veteran's tension headaches, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and traumatic brain injury are rated at 50 percent each. The Board has granted a TDIU from October 30, 2014 to July 10, 2024 due to the severity of these service-connected conditions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sinusitis and headaches as there is no current evidence of these conditions or related symptoms causing impairment in earning capacity during the pendency of his claim.

Your claim for service connection for tension headaches has already been granted in a separate decision. The effective date is August 10, 2022.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD was denied. The Board found that the severity of his PTSD did not rise to the level required for a higher rating, with symptoms adequately addressed by the current 70 percent rating. For TDIU, the Veteran met the schedular criteria and was granted entitlement due to his inability to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the 50 percent rating for migraines is denied.,The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the 30 percent rating for IBS w/non-specific colitis is granted and effective July 20, 2023.,The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for the 20 percent ratings for right hip osteoarthritis, limitation of abduction, adduction, or rotation, and for right hip osteoarthritis, limitation of flexion are both granted and effective April 26, 2023.,No effective date is assigned for the Veteran's claim for an earlier rating for her IBS condition as it was already in effect prior to July 20, 2023.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for cause of death, finding that there was no evidence linking the Veteran's cardiorespiratory arrest to his military service or a service-connected disability.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for headaches and gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD) due to secondary service connection. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions as being related to his service-connected allergic rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis, and status post-lumbar laminectomy.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and a headache condition, finding that her symptoms began during and have continued since service.

The attempted appeal of service connection for posttraumatic brain injury (TBI) has been dismissed.,Service connection for headache disability, erectile dysfunction, and pituitary gland disability is being remanded for further review.

The Board has granted service connection for migraines as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected unspecified anxiety disorder, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has granted service connection for left hip strain and denied service connection for migraines.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection on multiple conditions has been dismissed due to his death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Veteran's request for HLR was timely filed, and the appeal is granted. The VA continued the 10 percent and 50 percent evaluations for his TBI and headaches disabilities.

The Board has granted an initial 50 percent evaluation for service-connected migraine headaches, finding that the Veteran's attacks are very frequent and completely prostrating, leading to severe economic inadaptability.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are granted service connection and effective October 2, 2024.,The Veteran's GERD is granted service connection and effective October 2, 2024. The earlier effective date request for GERD is denied.,The Veteran's sciatic nerve, right leg lumbar radiculopathy is granted service connection and effective October 2, 2024. The earlier effective date request for this condition is denied.,The Veteran's sciatic nerve, left leg lumbar radiculopathy is granted service connection and effective October 2, 2024. The earlier effective date request for this condition is denied.