WingmanOpen the free toolsWingmanOpen the free toolsIf the VA already service-connected your migraines (also called migraines, headaches, chronic headaches, tension headaches), it can cause or worsen other conditions that are ratable on their own. These "secondary" claims are where many veterans leave money on the table. Below is what a service-connected migraines commonly leads to, why, and what evidence each one takes.
A secondary claim only works if the primary condition (migraines) is already service-connected, and you have a nexus — a doctor's opinion that it is "at least as likely as not" the cause. More on nexus letters →
Frequent, prostrating migraines that disrupt work and daily life are a recognized cause of depression and anxiety.
What you'd need: A mental health diagnosis and a nexus opinion linking the mood disorder to the chronic, disabling headaches.
Migraines commonly cause light and sound sensitivity; documented visual symptoms can support the overall headache picture and occasionally a separate eye evaluation.
What you'd need: Documentation of light/sound sensitivity during attacks; usually captured within the migraine rating rather than separately.