VA Conditions Secondary to PTSD
Many veterans who experienced combat or other traumatic events suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, which significantly impacts their physical and mental well-being. One often-overlooked consequence is the development of chronic migraines. Research indicates that the stress and anxiety linked to PTSD can cause or exacerbate chronic migraine headaches. Thus, veterans often experience chronic migraines related to their service-connected PTSD.
For veterans with a VA disability rating for PTSD, developing migraines as a secondary condition may lead to increased compensation and benefits. If the U.S.Department of Veterans’ Affairs determines that your chronic migraines are linked to your service-connected PTSD, you can claim the migraines as a secondary disability. Once approved, you’ll receive a combined disability rating, potentially resulting in greater monthly payments and access to additional VA health care services, among other benefits.
Is There a Connection Between Migraines and PTSD?
PTSD is a mental condition that develops from experiencing or witnessing a traumatic experience. Symptoms include anxiety and panic attacks, heightened stress, dissociation, sleep disruptions, and intrusive thoughts. Mental and emotional impacts from prolonged stress can cause physical symptoms, like muscle aches, stomach pain, and migraines.
Military personnel often experience stressful, sometimes traumatic situations, while serving, especially if they have seen combat. Consequently, PTSD affects around 20% of all veterans. However, to secure disability benefits for chronic migraines, you need not prove that your migraines are service-connected. Instead, you only must show that they are related to your underlying service-connected PTSD.
How To Claim Migraines Secondary To PTSD
To receive approval for migraines as a secondary condition to your PTSD, you must demonstrate a clear medical link between the two conditions. You cby providing the following evidence, such as the following:
- Nexus Letter From a Doctor: A medical opinion from a treating physician or VA-approved doctor can help link your migraines to existing service-connected PTSD.
- VA or Private Treatment Records: You must submit doctors’ reports, test results, and treatment records to establish your diagnosis, prove the link to your underlying PTSD, and show the effects on your life. Documentation establishing a timeline of your conditions can be extremely valuable to show that you were diagnosed with migraines after your PTSD diagnosis.
- Lay Statements: Also known as buddy or personal statements, this type of evidence can be provided by another veteran, spouse, friend, or co-worker. It consists of observations of your migraine symptoms and their connection to your PTSD.
How Are Migraines and PTSD Ratings Combined?
If you qualify for a secondary rating, the VA will assign a new combined disability rating. This rating reflects how much your functionality is affected by your condition. However, it is not just a simple sum of the percentages for each condition. Thus, you can never exceed a 100% total rating.
The VA will begin by rating each individual condition. It will then take the highest of your ratings. For example, if you have a 50% rating for PTSD and a 20% rating for migraines, they would start with 50%.
From there, it will use its Combined Ratings Table to find the intersection of your highest and next-highest ratings. PTSD at 50% combined with migraines at 30% gives a combined value of 65% before rounding.
The VA can incorporate additional ratings for other conditions, whether you are now seeking approval for them or have previously received a rating. For instance, if you also have received a 10% rating for tinnitus, the VA would take the unrounded combined total of 65% and combine it with the third rating using the table. This would result in 69%, which then rounds up to a total disability rating of 70%. In some cases, a secondary condition can even rate higher than the primary service-connected condition.
Can the VA Deny Your Secondary Claim for Migraines?
The timeline for VA approval varies depending on the case, but it typically takes several months. Unfortunately, the VA may deny your secondary condition claim if it believes you provided insufficient evidence or that there is an unclear link to the primary condition.
What To Do if the VA Denied Your Secondary Migraines Claim
VA claims are often denied if the application was incomplete, filed incorrectly, or insufficient to prove the claim. If you have additional evidence supporting your claim, you may appeal with a supplemental claim including that documentation. Otherwise, if you disagree with the decision, you may request a higher-level review of your case.
If your claim for migraines secondary to PTSD is denied, our dedicated team at Veterans Guide can help. We can evaluate the VA’s reasoning for the denial, determine the best path to challenge it, and file an appeal for you.
Our professionals can also collect evidence to solidify the connection between your PTSD and migraines and request nexus letters from medical professionals.
Can the VA Deny Your Secondary Claim for Migraines?
Veterans Guide can connect you with knowledgeable and experienced advocates who can help you navigate the VA’s claims process and give you the best chance at approval. Do not hesitate to get the support you need today. Our compassionate team is here to guide you and answer any questions you have.
Contact us for a free consultation today to learn more.
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