The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for migraine headaches and TDIU were denied. The rating for migraine headaches was maintained at 10 percent prior to October 16, 2019, and increased to 30 percent thereafter. The Board found that the Veteran is unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence did not support a higher rating for migraine headaches as there were no characteristic prostrating attacks of migraine or non-migraine headache pain occurring on average, once a month.
- Claimed conditions
- migraine headaches, lumbosacral strain, tinnitus, right lumbosacral radiculopathy, left lower extremity (LLE) radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- October 7, 2020
- Citation
- 20065046
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's migraine headaches were granted a 50 percent disability rating, effective August 8, 2023, due to very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks that are productive of severe economic inadaptability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for tinnitus to correct a duty to assist error, as the Veteran's lay statements regarding onset and continuity of symptoms were not adequately considered in the previous decision.
- Granted
The Board granted a 50 percent rating for the Veteran's migraine headaches based on prostrating attacks occurring more than once a month and severe economic inadaptability.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain, finding that the Veteran's low back injury occurred during a period of active duty for training (ADT) and continued therefrom.
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