Migraines & headaches decisions — 2026

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for migraines and migraine variants has been dismissed because the Veteran withdrew her appeal before a decision was made.

The Board has granted a 10 percent disability rating for service-connected tension headaches, effective from the date of the March 7, 2025 decision. The Veteran's headaches are characterized by characteristic prostrating attacks occurring on average once every two months.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for headaches, finding that his headaches did not meet the criteria for a 10% rating under Diagnostic Code 8100 due to lack of characteristic prostrating attacks.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for migraines and a stomach disability due to insufficient medical opinions in the VA examination reports. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions, which are believed to be related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current migraine headaches are etiologically related to his military service and has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted the appellant's claim for service connection for headaches, finding that they are caused by events during his military service and secondary to his service-connected psychiatric disorders, diabetes mellitus, Parkinson's disease, and associated sleep disruption.

The Board has remanded the claims for sleep apnea, headaches, alcohol use disorder (claimed as depression/anxiety), hypertension, and heart attack due to potential service connection based on aggravation of a pre-existing condition or secondary to other service-connected disabilities. Additional medical opinions are required regarding the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right knee strain, thoracolumbar spine strain, and migraines are remanded due to procedural errors in obtaining necessary medical examinations and records.

The Board has determined that the appellant's DM II does not meet the criteria for a disability rating higher than 20 percent, as her condition requires treatment with oral hypoglycemic agents and restricted diet but no regulation of activities.,For lumbar strain, RLE radiculopathy, and LLE radiculopathy, remand is necessary to obtain an addendum opinion addressing the severity of these conditions without considering the ameliorating effects of medication.

The Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 40 percent for traumatic brain injury with headaches is being remanded due to a failure by the AOJ to provide proper notice regarding his right to a hearing.

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for hypertension was denied.,Service connection for a bone density disability, iron deficiency anemia, IBS, migraines, sleep apnea, left shoulder disability, and right shoulder disability were all denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding secondary service connection for migraines. The Veteran's current migraines are being evaluated for potential aggravation by service-connected musculoskeletal conditions and psychiatric disabilities.

The Veteran's tinnitus and headaches are granted service connection. The claims for carpal tunnel syndrome, chronic diarrhea, and sinusitis are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for migraines and tinnitus, as well as service connection for bilateral hearing loss, were dismissed due to untimely Notice of Disagreement (NOD) filings. The appeal for bilateral hearing loss is remanded.

The Veteran's claims of entitlement to earlier effective dates for the grants of Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) and special monthly compensation (SMC) based on housebound status are being remanded due to a failure by the AOJ to address the issue of clear and unmistakable error in the February 2017 rating decision. The TDIU claim is also being remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with these other claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, hypertension, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) require additional development due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Veteran's headaches are currently rated at 10 percent, but the Board found that they do not meet the criteria for a higher rating as there were no characteristic prostrating attacks occurring at least once a month on average over the last several months.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left hip disability was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability. The Board found that the weight of the evidence did not support the claim and thus denied it.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for migraines was granted with an effective date of May 28, 2024. The decision is based on new and material evidence submitted after the original denial in August 2015.

The appeal has been dismissed due to the Veteran's death. The Board cannot issue a decision on the underlying claims at this time.