Headache log (date, duration, severity, triggers) — VA uses this to assess "prostrating" frequency
Doctor diagnosis (neurologist preferred; VA primary care also accepts)
Medication records (especially abortive meds like sumatriptan/Imitrex)
Employer / educational records showing work missed due to migraines
Often filed as secondary to TBI, PTSD, or cervical spine condition
Common filing mistakes
Not keeping a headache log — VA can't award based on subjective "I get migraines often" without dates/frequency
Confusing "prostrating" with "painful" — prostrating means you must lie down, cannot function. A painful headache that you can work through is not prostrating.
Not claiming secondary to PTSD/TBI — migraines often have neurological + stress triggers from service-connected conditions
How to file
File VA Form 21-526EZ with the diagnosis evidence above. A free CVSO will assemble your claim and file it on your behalf at no cost.
In crisis? Call 988 and press 1 for the Veterans Crisis Line — 24/7 confidential, federally-operated. Vet Centers offer free counseling for combat veterans and MST survivors.
VA disability rating criteria are defined in 38 CFR Part 4 (Schedule for Rating Disabilities). Criteria are subject to revision; always verify current rules at va.gov/disability/ before filing. This page is informational and is not a substitute for personalized advice from a CVSO, VSO representative, or VA-accredited attorney. Free claim help available from CVSOs and VSOs in every U.S. county.