Rating guide · Neurological
Migraine Claims: Count the Attacks
A migraine rating comes down to one question: how often does a headache force you to quit what you’re doing and lie down? Show that pattern clearly and the right percentage follows.
- The four levels
- What “prostrating” means
- Keeping a headache log
- Links to service
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The Migraine Rating Ladder
Cluster, tension and post-traumatic headaches are frequently rated by analogy to these levels. Pay shown is for a single veteran in 2026.
Two Phrases Raters Lean On
Prostrating: in practice, an attack bad enough that you have to stop, get somewhere dark and quiet, and lie down until it eases. A headache you can push through at your desk or on the line usually doesn’t meet it.
Severe economic inadaptability: the 50% standard. You don’t have to be out of work. Repeated sick days, going home early, swapping shifts or cutting back hours because of attacks can all show it.
Building a Frequency Record
- Keep a log for at least a few months: the date, how long each attack lasted, whether you had to lie down, and any work you missed.
- Bring the log to appointments, whether at a VA clinic or with a private neurologist, so the treatment notes reflect the same pattern.
- Ask a spouse, roommate or supervisor who has watched an attack unfold to write a brief statement.
Headaches often trace back to service through a brain injury from a blast or crash, PTSD, a neck injury, tinnitus, or simply headaches that first appeared while you were in uniform.
Migraine VA Rating: Common Questions
How many attacks does it take to reach 30%?
Prostrating attacks averaging roughly one per month over the last several months. About one every two months fits 10%.
I still have a job. Is 50% off the table?
No. Severe economic inadaptability can be shown through heavy missed time, early departures or reduced hours, even while employed.
What about headaches that aren’t migraines?
Other headache disorders are commonly rated by analogy to the migraine criteria.
If I could submit only one thing, what should it be?
A detailed headache log kept over several months that lines up with what your medical records say.
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