VA Disability for Neurological Conditions
Did the trauma you experienced while serving in the military damage your nervous system?
We can help you get the benefits you deserve
- Written By Attorney Troy Bouk
Your Neurological Condition Deserves Recognition — And So Do You
Military service can expose veterans to intense situations that take a lasting toll on the body and mind. Blast waves, head trauma, repeated strain, toxic exposures, and even stress can damage the nervous system in ways that aren’t always visible. But even when these conditions aren’t seen on a scan, you feel their weight every day.
You may have been told your symptoms are mild or that there’s not enough evidence to connect them to your service. Maybe you’ve tried filing a VA claim before, only to face delays, denials, or low ratings that don’t reflect what you endure. You are not alone in this. Many veterans face the same uphill battle.
That’s where we come in.
Bouk Law has helped veterans across the country get the benefits they deserve for conditions like traumatic brain injuries, chronic migraines, nerve damage, seizures, and more. We understand how the VA system works — and we know how to present the full scope of your experience, not just what appears in your medical records.
We’re here to be your advocate, to make sure your voice is heard, and to fight for the recognition and support you’ve earned.
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Neurological Conditions We Help Veterans With
Neurological conditions affect how your body moves, how your brain functions, and how you interact with the world around you. Whether caused by trauma, illness, or exposure during military service, these conditions can profoundly impact your life.
Here are the neurological conditions we commonly help veterans seek VA disability benefits for:
Degenerative & Demyelinating Diseases of the Central Nervous System (CNS)
Conditions that involve the gradual loss of nerve function, often worsening over time include each of the following:
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig’s Disease)
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Huntington’s Disease
- Demyelinating Diseases not otherwise specified
Cerebrovascular Conditions & Stroke Residuals
After-effects from strokes or other blood flow issues in the brain caused by the following:
- Stroke (Cerebrovascular Accident)
- Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA or mini-stroke)
- Vascular dementia
- Brain ischemia (restricted blood flow)
[CTA] If you’re dealing with cognitive or physical effects after a stroke or TIA, let Bouk Law help ensure the VA sees the full picture. Call (888)350-4805 or use the form on this page to get started.
Click here to learn more about Cerebrovascular Conditions & Stroke Residuals and how the VA reviews these claims for disability benefits.
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
Many veterans now suffer from TBI’s as a result of their military service. TBI’s are injuries to the brain caused by external force, often from blasts, falls, or accidents.
Veterans with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) can file VA disability claims for a wide range of related conditions. These can include physical impairments, cognitive deficits, behavioral and emotional issues, and secondary conditions that develop as a result of the TBI.
Your TBI will be categorized as mild, moderate, or severe based on factors like loss of consciousness, amnesia and the results of imaging.
Some conditions are presumed to be service-connected to your TBI, if they occurred within certain timeframes after your TBI.
The VA will assign a disability rating based on the severity and impact of your TBI, which in turn determines the amount of your compensation.
Seizure & Epilepsy Disorders
Conditions that cause recurrent seizures, which may vary in severity and frequency include each of the following:
- Epilepsy
- Generalized seizures (grand mal)
- Partial (focal) seizures
- Absence seizures (petit mal)
- Psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES)
Headache Disorders
Chronic or severe headache conditions that interfere with daily life include each of the following:
- Migraine headaches
- Tension headaches
- Cluster headaches
- Post-traumatic headaches
Movement & Tic Disorders
Conditions affecting motor control, often leading to involuntary arm, leg and facial movements include each of the following:
- Essential tremor
- Dystonia (involuntary muscle contractions)
- Tourette’s Syndrome
- Myoclonus (sudden muscle jerks)
Cranial Nerve Conditions
Disorders affecting the nerves that control senses and facial movements include each of the following:
- Trigeminal neuralgia (facial nerve pain)
- Bell’s palsy (facial paralysis)
- Optic neuritis (vision loss or pain)
- Vestibular disorders (balance problems)
Peripheral Nerve Disorders
Damage or disease affecting the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord include each of the following:
- Peripheral neuropathy (numbness, tingling, pain)
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Sciatica (nerve pain down the leg)
- Radiculopathy (pinched nerve roots)
Neuromuscular Junction Disorders
Conditions disrupting the connection between nerves and muscles include each of the following:
- Myasthenia gravis
- Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS)
Sleep Disorders
Neurological issues that interfere with normal sleep patterns include the following:
- Sleep apnea (central sleep apnea)
- Narcolepsy
- REM sleep behavior disorder
- Insomnia related to neurological conditions
Infectious or Inflammatory CNS Conditions
Brain and spinal cord conditions caused by infections or immune system attacks include such conditions as:
- Meningitis (inflammation of the protective brain membranes)
- Encephalitis (brain inflammation)
- Neuroborreliosis (Lyme disease affecting the nervous system)
- Neurosyphilis (syphilis infection of the brain or spinal cord)
Brain and Spinal Cord Tumors
Growths such as the following may affect your neurological function.
- Glioblastoma
- Meningioma
- Spinal cord tumors (e.g., ependymomas, astrocytomas)
- Metastatic brain tumors (spread from other cancers)
If you recognize any of these conditions or symptoms in yourself, know that you are not alone — and help is available.
We’ve assisted countless veterans in navigating the VA claims process for these complex neurological issues, and we can help you too.
Common Neurological Symptoms the VA Often Overlooks
Neurological conditions don’t always leave visible marks or show up clearly in test results. But if you’re living with these symptoms, you know how deeply they affect your daily life — even if the VA doesn’t always acknowledge them.
You might be experiencing:
- Frequent or severe headaches that interfere with work or sleep
- Memory lapses that make it hard to recall conversations or appointments
- Dizziness or balance issues that make walking or standing feel unstable
- Tingling, numbness, or burning sensations in your hands, feet, or limbs
- Tremors or muscle twitches that you can’t control
- Difficulty speaking clearly or understanding words
- Episodes of confusion, disorientation, or getting lost in familiar places
- Sudden seizures or blackouts that leave you feeling vulnerable
- Sleep disruptions that leave you exhausted, even after a full night’s rest
- Muscle weakness that affects your grip strength or ability to lift objects
These symptoms aren’t always constant. Some may come and go, while others worsen over time. But whether they appear every day or only under certain conditions, they can make working, socializing, or even caring for yourself a challenge.
If you’ve noticed these issues in your own life, even if no one has given you a clear diagnosis, they deserve to be taken seriously. The VA’s system doesn’t always reflect the lived experience of veterans with neurological conditions — but we know the reality is different.
Why Neurological VA Claims Get Denied
Many neurological claims are denied not because the symptoms aren’t severe, but because the VA’s process doesn’t reflect the full reality of living with these conditions.
Too often, claims are denied because:
- The VA focuses on imaging tests or physical exams, even though conditions like migraines or seizures don’t always show up in these results.
- Symptom severity is underestimated — episodic issues like blackouts, tremors, or nerve pain may be dismissed as “mild” on paper.
- The connection between service and condition isn’t clearly documented, especially for veterans exposed to blasts, toxins, or repetitive head trauma.
How We Help Veterans with Neurological Disability Claims
Navigating the VA claims process can feel overwhelming — especially when you’re dealing with a condition that affects your memory, focus, or energy. That’s where we step in.
We help ensure your claim tells the whole story:
- Gathering the right medical evidence — not just tests, but personal statements, buddy letters, and expert opinions that capture how your condition affects your life.
- Connecting your service events to your neurological condition, whether through blast exposure, toxic environments, or service-related injuries.
- Presenting a clear narrative that reflects your daily reality, not just what shows up in the paperwork.
Our goal is to help you secure the benefits you’ve earned — so you can focus on your health and your future.
You’ve Faced Enough. Let’s Make Sure the VA Sees the Full Picture.
Your service deserves recognition, and so does the toll it’s taken on your health. If you’re living with a neurological condition connected to your time in uniform, we’re here to help you fight for the benefits you deserve.
