Migraines & headaches decisions — 2026

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that it is secondary to his service-connected migraine headaches and chronic lumbar strain with DDD.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for headaches has been granted as the evidence is at least balanced and supports a finding that his headaches began during service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current migraines are causally related to his military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The appeal for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for migraines is dismissed as the June 2025 higher-level review decision did not address the merits of the service connection claim, and the Veteran withdrew his NOD.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been denied. The Veteran is not entitled to a higher rating for tinnitus or adjustment disorder with depressed mood, generalized anxiety disorder, and insomnia disorder due to the current schedular ratings being appropriate. Service connection has also been denied for pseudofolliculitis barbae, acne, constipation, muscle breakdown, cervical spine strain, lumbar spine strain, right hand/finger disorder, left hand/finger disorder, right knee disorder, left knee disorder, migraine headache, residuals of tonsillectomy, and shoulder disorders.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for migraine headaches, finding that they were incurred in service and are presumed to have been present due to a history of pre-service migraines. The Veteran's ongoing migraine headaches since service continue to be considered presumptively related to service.

The Veteran's service connection claim for migraine headaches is granted. Claims for dry skin, neck disability, right shoulder disability, and sinusitis are remanded.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are rated at 30 percent, but the Board found that they do not meet the criteria for a higher rating due to lack of very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are granted as service-connected, with the Board finding that the evidence is in equipoise regarding whether these headaches are related to his military service.

The Veteran's ulcerative colitis is granted service connection, but his jaw condition, lumbar spine condition, bilateral hip condition, cervical spine disability, bilateral shoulder condition, Gulf War illness, sleep disturbances, and headache condition are denied due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's appeals for initial compensable ratings for chronic post-traumatic headaches and a TBI were dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.

The appeal for sleep apnea is dismissed as the Veteran withdrew her appeal.,The appeals for migraine headaches and rheumatoid arthritis are granted to the extent that new evidence has been submitted, but service connection remains denied overall.,The appeal for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Veteran's PTSD and migraine headaches are granted with a maximum disability rating of 100 percent throughout the appeal period. The Veteran is also entitled to effective dates for special monthly compensation (SMC) benefits based on housebound criteria, and Dependents' Education Assistance (DEA) benefits.

The Board denied the Veteran's request to extend his delimiting date for Chapter 33 education benefits, finding that he did not provide sufficient evidence of a physical or mental disability preventing him from initiating a program of education within one year of his May 2020 extension request.

The Veteran's claim for SMC based on aid and attendance is remanded due to the need for an examination that properly assesses his disability picture in relation to his theory of entitlement, specifically focusing on service-connected disabilities alone.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development to address service connection and rating issues, including OSA, headaches, heart disability, GERD, right foot achilles disability, and hypertension.

Service connection for a left knee disability is dismissed.,Service connection for headaches is granted. Service connection for back, dental, neck, and psychiatric disabilities (PTSD and anxiety) are denied.,Entitlement to service connection for right knee disability remains pending.

The Board is unable to make a decision on the service connection claims without first determining whether the Appellant's misconduct was due to his psychiatric symptoms and obtaining a medical opinion regarding his mental status at the time of his misconduct.

The Veteran's tension headaches are rated at 30 percent, effective May 24, 2019. The evidence shows the Veteran had characteristic prostrating attacks of tension headaches occurring on an average once a month over several months.

The Veteran's service-connected headaches prevented him from securing and maintaining a substantially gainful occupation since May 29, 2007.,Special monthly compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s) is granted due to the Veteran's single service-connected disability rated at 100% (headaches) and additional service-connected PTSD independently rated at 60% or more.