BVA decisions by condition
Headaches: BVA grant rates and what wins
From 2017 to 2026, the Board of Veterans' Appeals decided a headaches issue in 2,187 decisions. It granted the headaches issue in 10.6% of them, below the 19.4% grant rate for all conditions, denied it in 13.8%, and remanded it in 71.4%. Counting only decisions on the merits (granted or denied), 43.5% were granted.
Decisions
2,187
2017–2026
Granted
10.6%
All conditions: 19.4%
Granted on the merits
43.5%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
71.4%
Denied: 13.8%
Headaches outcomes by year
| Year | Issues decided | Granted | Denied | Remanded | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 106 | 9.4% | 12.3% | 67.0% | 11.3% |
| 2018 | 226 | 7.5% | 8.8% | 80.5% | 3.1% |
| 2019 | 261 | 5.0% | 14.2% | 77.8% | 3.1% |
| 2020 | 258 | 8.1% | 12.0% | 75.6% | 4.3% |
| 2021 | 223 | 8.5% | 9.9% | 73.5% | 8.1% |
| 2022 | 192 | 8.3% | 10.4% | 72.4% | 8.9% |
| 2023 | 260 | 8.8% | 16.2% | 67.3% | 7.7% |
| 2024 | 290 | 13.8% | 16.2% | 65.9% | 4.1% |
| 2025 | 301 | 21.3% | 20.3% | 56.1% | 2.3% |
| 2026 | 105 | 13.3% | 14.3% | 69.5% | 2.9% |
Each row counts issues (each condition the Board decided), so the shares add up to 100%. Other: dismissed, withdrawn or no clear outcome. Years with fewer than 50 issues are left out.
Evidence in granted and denied headaches decisions
For each kind of supporting evidence: how often the Board granted the headaches issue on the merits when the decision mentioned it, compared with decisions that did not. These are associations, not causes, and evidence is recorded per decision, not per issue.
| In the record | Decisions | Granted when present | When absent | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lay statement | 1,934 | 45.7% | 27.0% | +18.8 pts |
| Treating physician opinion | 121 | 61.5% | 43.1% | +18.5 pts |
| Favorable VA exam | 429 | 56.8% | 40.0% | +16.7 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 796 | 46.5% | 42.4% | +4.1 pts |
| Positive nexus opinion | 559 | 42.9% | 43.6% | −0.8 pts |
| Combat service | 176 | 37.5% | 43.9% | −6.4 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 71.1% of the decisions that granted headaches.
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 44.4% of grants and 14.0% of denials.
Negative evidence in the record
An unfavorable exam or a negative nexus opinion often sits in the same record as favorable evidence, and the Board weighs them against each other. So these rows show how often headaches was still granted when the record contained the negative item, not that the item helped.
| In the record | Decisions | Granted when present | When absent | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unfavorable VA exam | 1,795 | 43.0% | 46.8% | −3.8 pts |
| Negative nexus opinion | 1,100 | 29.0% | 50.3% | −21.3 pts |
Why the Board granted or denied headaches
Most common reasons in grants
- Headaches rated under DC 810010
- Attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability7
- Productive of severe economic inadaptability6
- Already at the maximum schedular rating6
- Caused by the service-connected disability5
- Migraines rated under DC 81004
- Migraines meet criteria for 50% rating under DC 81003
- Very frequent, completely prostrating, prolonged attacks3
Most common reasons in denials
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim11
- Already at the maximum schedular rating5
- Headaches not prostrating4
- No evidence of characteristic prostrating attacks4
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service4
- Headaches not productive of severe economic inadaptability3
- No evidence of severe economic inadaptability3
- No severe economic inadaptability found3
Numbers are decisions that gave the reason. Reasons are short phrases extracted by AI from each decision; common wordings of the same reason are grouped. Benefit of the doubt is reported above.
Recent headaches decisions
Granted
Evidence approximately balanced.; Benefit of the doubt applied.; Headaches associated with service-connected allergic rhinitis.
Granted 50% rating from August 5, 2022 onward; Headaches characterized as very frequent, completely prostrating; Impacted concentration and daily functioning, meeting highest rating criteria
Reduction of rating was procedurally improper; Failure to provide requested pre-determination hearing; Restoration of 50% rating is warranted
Denied
Denied higher rating prior to Aug 5, 2022; Headaches characterized as averaging one prostrating attack per 2 months; Did not meet criteria for higher ratings based on frequency/severity
Migraine headaches rated under DC 8100.; 10% rating for attacks averaging one in two months.; 30% rating requires attacks averaging once a month.; VA exam showed less frequent prostrating attacks.; Need for OTC medication and rest did not meet higher criteria.
Evidence did not meet criteria for 30% rating (attacks once a month).; Veteran experienced attacks averaging once in 2 months.; No completely prostrating attacks noted by examiners.
Rules that apply to headaches claims
- 38 CFR 3.303
Principles of service connection
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 3.310
Secondary service connection and aggravation
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 3.102
Reasonable doubt (benefit of the doubt)
Read it in VA Law Explorer
Research your headaches case
Narrow by year, judge, evidence or secondary condition, read the decisions, and export a research memo.
How these numbers are calculated
- Rates count decisions in which the Board decided a headaches issue, by the outcome of that issue. Other issues in the same decision can have different outcomes.
- “Granted on the merits” leaves out remands and dismissals. “All conditions” is the grant share across every condition issue in the data.
- The data comes from CaseScribe's AI extraction of public BVA decisions (2017–2026) and can contain errors. It is updated automatically as new decisions are added.