BVA decisions by condition
Migraine: BVA grant rates and what wins
From 2017 to 2026, the Board of Veterans' Appeals decided a migraine issue in 38,924 decisions. It granted the migraine issue in 30.7% of them, above the 19.4% grant rate for all conditions, denied it in 24.9%, and remanded it in 43.0%. Counting only decisions on the merits (granted or denied), 55.2% were granted.
Decisions
38,924
2017–2026
Granted
30.7%
All conditions: 19.4%
Granted on the merits
55.2%
Granted ÷ (granted + denied)
Remanded
43.0%
Denied: 24.9%
How VA rates migraine
Once service connection is granted, VA assigns a disability rating from the rating schedule: 38 CFR 4.124a, diagnostic code 8100 (Migraine). The rating is the same whether the condition is service connected directly or as secondary to another disability.
| Rating | Criteria |
|---|---|
| 50% | With very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability |
| 30% | With characteristic prostrating attacks occurring on an average once a month over last several months |
| 10% | With characteristic prostrating attacks averaging one in 2 months over last several months |
| 0% | With less frequent attacks |
Text of 38 CFR 4.124a as of Feb 27, 2026. Confirm the current text at the source before relying on it.
Migraine outcomes by year
| Year | Issues decided | Granted | Denied | Remanded | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 1,941 | 20.5% | 28.6% | 42.1% | 8.8% |
| 2018 | 3,539 | 24.6% | 27.0% | 43.3% | 5.1% |
| 2019 | 4,419 | 26.1% | 25.5% | 45.6% | 2.7% |
| 2020 | 3,998 | 27.2% | 27.9% | 42.6% | 2.3% |
| 2021 | 3,818 | 28.7% | 25.7% | 43.0% | 2.6% |
| 2022 | 3,693 | 29.4% | 21.4% | 46.5% | 2.7% |
| 2023 | 4,461 | 30.4% | 21.2% | 45.8% | 2.6% |
| 2024 | 5,387 | 33.9% | 22.9% | 41.0% | 2.2% |
| 2025 | 6,403 | 35.5% | 25.6% | 36.9% | 2.0% |
| 2026 | 2,363 | 38.8% | 22.7% | 35.6% | 2.8% |
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 Other: dismissed, withdrawn or no clear outcome.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 migraine decisions
For each kind of supporting evidence: how often the Board granted the migraine 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Positive nexus opinion | 6,955 | 79.8% | 47.5% | +32.3 pts |
| Favorable VA exam | 6,223 | 73.3% | 49.7% | +23.6 pts |
| Claimed as secondary | 8,958 | 74.0% | 51.2% | +22.8 pts |
| Treating physician opinion | 1,973 | 71.0% | 54.2% | +16.8 pts |
| Private medical opinion | 11,869 | 65.6% | 49.5% | +16.1 pts |
| Buddy statement | 1,361 | 67.8% | 54.7% | +13.1 pts |
| Combat service | 2,189 | 62.4% | 54.8% | +7.6 pts |
| Lay statement | 32,456 | 55.3% | 54.4% | +0.9 pts |
- The Board applied the benefit-of-the-doubt rule (38 CFR 3.102) in 72.9% of the decisions that granted migraine.
- The Board found the veteran's statements credible in 45.6% of grants and 14.1% 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 migraine 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Negative nexus opinion | 18,461 | 53.1% | 57.1% | −3.9 pts |
| Unfavorable VA exam | 29,980 | 54.3% | 60.3% | −6.0 pts |
Migraine claimed as a secondary condition
Decisions where migraine was claimed as secondary to another service-connected disability (38 CFR 3.310), by that disability.
- Migraine secondary to PTSD1,732 decisions · 37.1% granted
- Migraine secondary to a psychiatric disorder1,181 decisions · 41.2% granted
- Migraine secondary to tinnitus1,013 decisions · 31.9% granted
- Migraine secondary to a neck (cervical spine) condition628 decisions · 34.9% granted
- Migraine secondary to TBI481 decisions · 35.8% granted
- Migraine secondary to a back condition347 decisions · 18.7% granted
- Migraine secondary to hypertension346 decisions · 23.7% granted
Why the Board granted or denied migraine
Most common reasons in grants
- Current diagnosis established917
- Caused by the service-connected disability419
- Continuity of symptomatology since service338
- Service connection established203
- Aggravated by the service-connected disability183
- Migraines rated under DC 8100161
- Criteria for service connection met153
- Severe economic inadaptability148
Most common reasons in denials
- Preponderance of the evidence against the claim754
- VA examiner: less likely than not related to service705
- No current diagnosis529
- No in-service complaints, treatment or diagnosis521
- Service records negative or silent499
- Already at the maximum schedular rating470
- Current diagnosis established254
- No evidence of severe economic inadaptability122
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 migraine decisions
Granted
Persian Gulf Veteran status verified by DoD data.; Migraines diagnosed in Oct 2020 VA exam.; Migraines considered qualifying chronic disability under 38 C.F.R. § 3.317.
Reduction improper due to inadequate VA examinations; Examinations did not reconcile findings with Veteran's reports of frequent incapacitating headaches and missed work; Veteran's testimony and submitted evidence (employer letter, headache log) supported continued 50% rating
Veteran's testimony and lay statements support frequent, prostrating attacks.; Attacks are prolonged and capable of producing severe economic inadaptability.; December 2020 VA exam was inadequate for downplaying frequency and economic impact.
Denied
Denied as secondary to denied bruxism; No current bruxism established
Headaches not prostrating or prolonged.; Did not cause severe economic inadaptability.; Did not impact occupational tasks.
Veteran already at maximum rating for migraines (50%); Evidence did not support higher rating
Rules that apply to migraine claims
- 38 CFR 4.124a · DC 8100
Schedule of ratings: neurological conditions
Read it in VA Law Explorer - M21-1 V.iii.12.A.3
Migraine: rating criteria, lay evidence of prostration, headache journals
Read it in VA Law Explorer - M21-1 IV.i.3.B.1.b
Reviewing a headache examination report
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 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 migraine 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 migraine 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.