VA Disability Rating for Migraine (DC 8100)

Body system: Neurological Conditions and Convulsive DisordersRegulation: 38 CFR § 4.124aDBQ: DBQ NEURO Headaches (Including Migraines)

The VA rates migraines based on how often you have prostrating attacks - meaning headaches so severe they force you to lie down and can't function normally. The key factor is frequency: 50% for very frequent attacks that severely impact your ability to work, 30% for about one prostrating attack per month, 10% for one attack every two months, and 0% for less frequent attacks. The VA focuses specifically on these completely disabling episodes, not just regular headaches.

Rating levels

  • 50% — You have very frequent migraine attacks that completely disable you and last for extended periods. These migraines are so severe and happen so often that they significantly interfere with your ability to work and maintain steady employment (severe economic inadaptability means the condition makes it very difficult to hold down a job and earn a living).
  • 30% — You need to have severe migraine attacks that completely knock you out and force you to stop all activities (these are called "prostrating attacks"). These debilitating episodes must happen about once per month and this pattern must have continued for several months in a row.
  • 10% — You need to have severe migraine attacks that completely disable you (prostrating means the migraine is so bad it forces you to lie down and you can't function normally) about once every two months. The VA looks at your pattern of these debilitating attacks over the past several months to confirm they happen with this frequency.
  • 0% — You have migraine headaches, but they don't happen very often. The VA considers your migraines to be infrequent enough that they don't significantly interfere with your daily activities or work performance.

Explore Migraine Resources

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Start Here (1 page)
Ratings and C&P Exams (2 pages)
Claimed Secondary to Something Else (5 pages)
Those Conditions on Their Own (5 pages)
Evidence and Proof (4 pages)
Research and Visual Guides (2 pages)

Disclaimer: This tool is for informational purposes only and is not legal or medical advice. Always consult with your VSO representative or a qualified veterans benefits attorney for guidance on your specific claim.