Migraines & headaches decisions — 2026

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for VR&E services as his vocational goal of becoming a scuba instructor was not reasonably feasible due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for hypertension, migraines (headaches), and right knee degenerative arthritis due to inadequate VA medical opinions.

The Veteran's claims for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for bowel incontinence and residuals scarring associated with a colon biopsy are denied, as is his claim for service connection for chronic headaches. His claims for lumbosacral strain and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy are granted.

The Board has denied service connection for neck pain, right knee pain, and right shoulder pain. The claim for migraine headaches was also denied. The case is remanded for further action on the obstructive sleep apnea claim.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are rated at a maximum of 50 percent effective from March 23, 2021.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection due to untimely filing of appeal requests.

The Veteran's SMC at the N1/2 rate is granted, and he is also eligible for SMC(r)(1) based on his existing SMC(k) and SMC(o). The appeal regarding entitlement to SMC under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(r)(2) has not been resolved.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for post-traumatic headaches, PTSD with TBI, left non-dominant shoulder instability subluxation chronic with clavicle dislocation, recurrent dislocation, and cervical strain with muscle spasms were denied as the Veteran failed to appear at scheduled VA examinations without providing good cause.,The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for non-dominant shoulder instability subluxation chronic with clavicle dislocation and left non-dominant shoulder instability subluxation chronic with recurrent dislocation were also denied due to failure to appear at the scheduled VA examinations.

The Board has remanded several claims, including service connection for various conditions and an increased rating for right shoulder disability. The Veteran's appeal is currently under review.

The Veteran is granted service connection for temporomandibular joint dysfunction and headaches, with the Board finding that these conditions are related to his period of active military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a psychiatric disability and a headache disability are remanded due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and headaches have been dismissed due to non-jurisdictional procedural defects.

The Board has granted a 30 percent rating for the Veteran's migraine headaches, effective June 4, 2020. The decision also addressed the propriety of the effective date and the reduction in evaluation.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were dismissed due to his death.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for increased ratings for PTSD, tension headaches, limited abduction and painful adduction of the left thigh, limited abduction and adduction of the right thigh, limited and painful extension of the left thigh, limited and painful extension of the right thigh, limited and painful flexion of the left thigh, and limited and painful extension of the right thigh.

The Veteran's service-connected migraines and allergic rhinitis are found to be the primary cause of her obstructive sleep apnea. The Board grants a 50% disability rating for migraine headaches, effective from the date of decision.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for headaches and a psychiatric disability, including PTSD, are being remanded due to inadequate VA opinions. The Veteran contends his conditions are related to exposure to burn pits during active service in the Southwest Asia Theater of Operations.

The Board has granted a higher rating of 50 percent for the Veteran's service-connected migraine headaches, finding that the evidence establishes very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability.

The appeal regarding service connection for residuals of a traumatic brain injury is dismissed. Service connection is granted for an acquired psychiatric disorder, right shin splints, left shin splints, and hypertension. The claims for skin disability, headache disability, Type II diabetes mellitus, obstructive sleep apnea, lumbar spine disability, right elbow disability, left elbow disability, right wrist disability, left wrist disability, right hand disability, left hand disability, right ankle disability, left ankle disability, right foot pes planus, and left foot pes planus are all remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's child is not eligible for VA benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1805 for spina bifida because the evidence does not support a diagnosis of this condition.