Migraines & headaches decisions — 2026

The Board has remanded multiple service connection claims due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors, including failure to notify the appellant of scheduled VA examinations.

The Veteran's service connection for HIV, bilateral upper and lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, migraine headaches, erectile dysfunction, and Dependents' Educational Assistance under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 35 was granted effective February 18, 2000.

The Veteran's headaches are found to be secondary to his service-connected PTSD, and his tinnitus is related to military noise exposure. Both conditions have been granted service connection.

The Veteran's claims for right shin splint and PTSD were dismissed due to untimely filing.,The Veteran's claim for obesity was dismissed as the issue is moot due to a grant of service connection for PTSD in May 2025.,The Veteran's claims for migraines, IBS, GERD, eczema, asthma, and chronic fatigue syndrome were all dismissed due to concurrent appeals and improper docket selection.,The Veteran's claim for insomnia was denied as there is no persuasive weight of evidence supporting a current diagnosis or relationship to service.

The Veteran withdrew their appeal concerning the rating reductions for bilateral pes planus and migraines, so the case is dismissed.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are granted an initial rating of 50 percent prior to May 24, 2024. From May 24, 2024, the Veteran is denied a higher rating.

The Veteran's current migraine headaches disability is at least as likely as not related to his active service, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's current diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea is found to be caused or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD, and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various foot and hand conditions are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing disability (including bilateral hearing loss and bilateral hyperacusis) and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding her exposure to toxic substances during active duty.,

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for diabetes and migraines is remanded due to incomplete information regarding his periods of active duty for training (ADT) and inactive duty for training (IDT). Additionally, outstanding private treatment records are needed. A new VA opinion on the etiology of the Veteran's migraines will also be required.

The Veteran's initial rating for migraine headaches was denied as the evidence did not show that his attacks were productive of severe economic inadaptability.

The Veteran's chronic headaches are granted service connection as secondary to his service-connected sinusitis. Service connection for CFS and fibromyalgia is denied due to lack of objective evidence meeting the criteria.

The Veteran's headache disorder, which results in very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability, has been granted a 50 percent disability rating effective August 6, 2023.

The Board dismissed the appeals as untimely due to failure to file a proper Notice of Disagreement within one year from the date of the March 2019 rating decision.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected due to in-service noise exposure.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and blurry vision (claimed as a bilateral eye condition) are denied.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence does not support readjudicating the Veteran's claims for compensation under the provisions of 38 U.S.C. 1151 for aggravated trigeminal neuralgia, migraines and other headaches, poor balance, stuttering and slurred speech, and tremors.

The Veteran's adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood is found to be proximately due to, or aggravated by, her service-connected bilateral lower extremity RSD/CRPS with stress fractures of the tibia (to include MTSS).,The Veteran's headaches are also found to be proximately due to, or aggravated by, her service-connected bilateral lower extremity RSD/CRPS with stress fractures of the tibia (to include MTSS).

The Veteran's claim for service connection for migraine headaches is remanded due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The Board finds the January 2025 examiner's opinion inadequate and requires new examinations with an appropriate clinician.

The appeal for service connection of headaches is dismissed as the Veteran's headache symptoms are subsumed in his already service-connected pansinusitis. The issue of TDIU remains and is remanded due to a duty-to-assist error.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are rated at the maximum schedular rating of 50 percent effective March 29, 2022.,The Veteran's right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome is denied a higher than 10 percent rating.,The Veteran's left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome is granted a 20 percent rating effective March 13, 2025.