How to Prove Headaches in a Long Term Disability Insurance Claim

Headaches are one of the most common neurological symptoms—but proving they are disabling enough to qualify for long term disability benefits can be surprisingly difficult. Insurance companies often deny these claims due to the lack of objective evidence and the subjective nature of headache symptoms. Still, with the right documentation and strategy, it is possible to build a compelling claim.

This article answers common questions about eligibility for long term disability due to chronic headaches and how to overcome the unique challenges of proving a headache-related disability.

Can I get long term disability benefits for chronic headaches?

Yes, you may be able to receive long term disability (“LTD”) benefits for chronic headaches—if you can prove that your symptoms are severe, frequent, and disruptive enough to prevent you from performing the material duties of your occupation. Because there’s often no objective medical test to verify headache pain, insurance companies are frequently skeptical of these claims. Still, with the right evidence and documentation, a successful claim is possible.

Here are a few ways to strengthen your chances of approval:

• • Get a proper diagnosis: While headaches themselves are a symptom, it’s important to pursue a diagnosis from a specialist such as a neurologist. Even if the exact cause remains unclear, medical records showing you’ve sought out consistent care will help support your credibility.
  • Keep a symptom diary: A detailed log of your headaches—including their frequency, duration, severity, and how they impact your daily functioning—can serve as powerful evidence. Be sure to also record any missed workdays, emergency visits, or functional limitations you experience.
  • Work closely with your doctor: A supportive physician who understands the disabling effects of your headaches can write a narrative report explaining how your symptoms limit your ability to work. These reports often carry more weight than treatment notes alone.
  • Provide evidence of work impact: Submit employer records that show your attendance history, reduced hours, or declining performance due to headaches. Statements from supervisors or colleagues can also help validate your limitations.

Because of the subjective nature of headache-related disability claims, it’s especially important to present a well-organized and comprehensive application. Working with an experienced long term disability attorney can significantly improve your chances of success.

What types of headaches can qualify for long term disability?

Several types of chronic or recurrent headaches may qualify for long term disability (“LTD”) benefits if they are severe, persistent, and interfere with your ability to perform your job. Your insurance company will focus not just on your diagnosis, but on how your headaches affect your functional capacity on a day-to-day basis.

Here are common types of headaches that can support an LTD claim:

• • Migraines: These are often intense and disabling, sometimes accompanied by nausea, light sensitivity, visual disturbances, or neurological symptoms. Migraines that occur frequently and don’t respond well to treatment can significantly impact your ability to concentrate, communicate, or maintain a regular work schedule.
  • Tension headaches: Often considered less severe, chronic tension headaches can still become debilitating if they occur daily or last for long periods, especially if they cause fatigue, sleep disturbance, or reduced cognitive function.
  • Cluster headaches: Known for their extreme, stabbing pain—usually around one eye—cluster headaches can occur in cycles and may happen several times a day. Their intensity and unpredictability can make consistent work impossible during active periods.
  • Cervicogenic headaches: These result from problems in the neck or cervical spine and often worsen with certain postures or movements. They may interfere with physical tasks, sitting for long periods, or computer-based work.
  • Post-traumatic headaches: These can develop after a concussion or traumatic brain injury. They’re often accompanied by other symptoms like dizziness, cognitive changes, or fatigue, making it difficult to sustain focus or productivity.
  • Medication overuse headaches (rebound headaches): Caused by frequent use of headache medications, these headaches can become chronic and harder to treat, leading to recurring impairment.
  • Secondary headaches caused by other medical conditions: Headaches that are a symptom of an underlying condition—such as a tumor, spinal fluid pressure disorder, infection, or autoimmune disease—may qualify for LTD benefits when the broader condition impacts your ability to function at work.

No matter the type, qualifying for long term disability benefits will depend on how thoroughly your condition is documented and how clearly it can be shown to interfere with your work duties. Working with your doctor and an experienced long term disability attorney to present strong medical and occupational evidence can improve your chances of a successful claim.

How do I prove that my headaches prevent me from working?

To prove that your headaches prevent you from working and qualify for long term disability benefits, your insurer will require you to submit both medical evidence and vocational evidence that clearly demonstrates how your condition impairs your ability to perform the essential duties of your job. Because headaches are subjective and difficult to measure, insurance companies often demand especially detailed documentation.

Medical Evidence for Your Headache LTD Claim

The backbone of your headache-related LTD claim is establishing the medical basis for your condition. Strong medical evidence helps demonstrate to your insurer that your headaches are real, ongoing, and serious enough to require treatment. The more thoroughly your medical file documents the nature, frequency, and impact of your headaches, the stronger your claim will be.

Examples of medical evidence to substantiate your headaches may include:

• • Clinical records from your treating physician: These should include a history of your headaches, descriptions of the symptoms, frequency, duration, severity, and how they respond to treatment. It’s important that your doctor documents not only the headaches themselves, but also how they affect your ability to function.
  • Neurological evaluations or referrals: Seeing a neurologist adds weight to your claim, especially if your primary care physician refers you due to the complexity or severity of your headaches. Specialist opinions often carry more credibility with insurers.
  • Diagnostic imaging or tests: While headaches often don’t show up on scans, imaging (like MRI or CT scans) may be used to rule out other conditions or confirm underlying causes such as spinal issues or brain abnormalities. Any relevant test results should be submitted.
  • Medication history: Provide records showing the various medications you’ve tried, any side effects experienced, and whether they have been effective. This shows that you’ve been actively treating your condition.
  • A symptom diary: Keeping a daily log of your headaches can serve as compelling real-time evidence. You should document the severity, duration, triggers, medications taken, and the impact on your ability to function each day, including missed work or reduced productivity.
  • Medical opinion letters: A letter from your doctor explaining your diagnosis and clearly stating how your headaches limit your ability to work can be one of the most important pieces of evidence. These letters should address specific job duties you can no longer perform reliably due to your symptoms.

Vocational Evidence for Your Headache LTD Claim

The second component of your headache-related LTD claim is proving how your headaches prevent you from working in your specific occupation. Providing your insurer with vocational evidence can help demonstrate the ways your headaches interfere with you ability to perform your material job duties.

Examples of vocational evidence to support your claim may include:

• • Employer documentation: Include attendance records showing missed days, early departures, or reduced hours due to headache episodes. If you’ve received performance warnings or had to reduce your responsibilities, those records help show the occupational impact.
  • Job description: A detailed summary of your job duties helps link your symptoms to the tasks you can no longer perform, such as concentrating, attending meetings, using a computer, or working under stress or bright lighting.
  • Statements from supervisors or co-workers: Personal observations from colleagues can support your claim by describing noticeable patterns—such as frequent absences, difficulty concentrating, or leaving work early due to headaches.
  • Functional Capacity Evaluation (“FCE”): Although designed to measure physical limitations, these evaluations may include cognitive or sensory components. If your headaches cause fatigue, dizziness, or vision issues, an FCE can help document your work limitations.

Bringing these types of evidence together into a clear, consistent narrative is crucial. Your insurer will be looking for gaps, inconsistencies, or signs that your symptoms are manageable. A long term disability attorney can help you avoid those pitfalls and present your claim as credibly and persuasively as possible.

Do I need objective evidence to support my headache disability claim?

No, you do not need objective evidence to support a headache-related long term disability claim—but your insurer will require strong, consistent, and well-documented evidence that shows how your headaches prevent you from working. Insurance companies often try to deny headache claims by citing a lack of objective evidence, but this can be challenged if there is no widely accepted objective test to prove the condition.

Because headaches are a subjective condition—meaning there’s no blood test or scan that definitively proves their existence—your claim must instead rely on clinical findings, documentation of your treatment, and functional evidence that supports your credibility.

Here’s how you can make up for the lack of objective testing:

• • Detailed medical records: Your treating physician’s notes should thoroughly document the nature, frequency, and severity of your headaches, along with your treatment history, response to medications, and any functional limitations.
  • Specialist evaluations: A neurologist or headache specialist can lend credibility to your diagnosis and provide a detailed assessment of how your condition affects your daily functioning and work ability.
  • Symptom diary: Maintaining a symptom diary is one of the most effective tools in a subjective disability claim. It should track when the headaches occur, how long they last, what symptoms you experience, what medications you take, and how the episodes interfere with your ability to work or function.
  • Supportive medical opinions: A written statement from your doctor explaining how your headaches impair your ability to perform your occupational duties can carry significant weight—even in the absence of objective test results.
  • Vocational impact evidence: Attendance records, workplace accommodations, and co-worker or supervisor statements can demonstrate how your headaches have interfered with your job performance.

While objective evidence isn’t required, any testing that helps rule out other causes or confirms an underlying condition (such as imaging that reveals a structural issue or post-concussion symptoms) can bolster your claim. The most important thing is presenting a cohesive picture of your condition and its disabling effects, backed by trustworthy medical and occupational documentation.

How can my doctor help document the impact of my headaches on my ability to work?

Your doctor plays a crucial role in supporting your long term disability claim by providing medical documentation that connects your headache symptoms to specific work-related limitations. Because headaches are largely subjective and difficult to measure, your insurer will rely heavily on your physician’s observations and opinions when deciding whether your claim is valid.

Here are key ways your doctor can help:

• • Provide detailed treatment records: Your doctor should maintain thorough notes describing the frequency, duration, and severity of your headaches. These records should also reflect how your symptoms affect your concentration, stamina, and ability to function during a typical workday.
  • Explain functional limitations: Your doctor can describe how your headaches interfere with your ability to perform job duties, such as sitting at a computer, reading, communicating, or working under pressure. This includes limitations in both physical and cognitive functioning.
  • Complete forms from your insurer: Most insurance companies will require your doctor to fill out attending physician statements or other standardized forms. These should be completed thoughtfully, with clear descriptions of how your condition limits your capacity to work full-time.
  • Write a narrative report: In addition to form-based responses, a personalized letter or report from your doctor can be extremely persuasive. This letter should include your diagnosis, treatment history, and a professional opinion on whether you can reliably perform the essential duties of your occupation.
  • Confirm consistency with your symptom reports: Your doctor’s documentation should align with your symptom diary, work history, and other evidence. Insurance companies are quick to deny claims when they spot inconsistencies between what the patient reports and what the medical file reflects.
  • Recommend further testing or referrals: If your doctor refers you to a neurologist or orders imaging studies to rule out other conditions, it shows that your symptoms are being taken seriously and appropriately managed.

It’s important to keep your physician informed about your symptoms and your disability claim process so they can advocate effectively on your behalf. A long term disability attorney can also assist by coordinating directly with your doctors, helping them understand the types of documentation your insurer requires, and ensuring that all medical records and reports are complete, consistent, and submitted on time.

How can a symptom diary help my long term disability claim?

A symptom diary can be one of the most effective tools to support your long term disability claim for headaches. Because headaches are subjective and often do not show up on medical tests, a diary helps fill the gap by offering a detailed, consistent account of how your condition affects your daily functioning and ability to work.

Here’s how a symptom diary can strengthen your claim:

• • Establishes a pattern: Recording the frequency, duration, and severity of your headaches shows that your condition is persistent and not just occasional. This helps demonstrate that your symptoms interfere with your ability to maintain a consistent work schedule.
  • Provides real-time documentation: A well-maintained diary shows your insurer that you’ve been tracking your symptoms over time. It’s harder for them to argue that your limitations are exaggerated when you’ve been documenting them regularly and thoroughly.
  • Details functional limitations: Your diary should describe how each episode affects your daily life. For example, you might note when a headache prevents you from concentrating, using a computer, attending meetings, or even getting out of bed.
  • Supports medical records: The entries in your diary can reinforce what your doctor notes in your medical file. If your physician references your diary during appointments, it also helps show that your reporting is consistent and credible.
  • Captures treatment and response: Track what medications or interventions you use for each episode and whether they help. This demonstrates that you’re actively trying to manage your condition and that your limitations persist despite treatment.
  • Helps with memory and communication: The diary can help you give accurate information to your doctor, attorney, or insurer. It also helps your treating physician write a more detailed and convincing medical opinion by showing the full scope of your symptoms.

Your diary doesn’t need to be overly complicated: a notebook, spreadsheet, or digital tracker will work as long as it’s updated consistently. Be sure to include the date, time, headache duration, pain level, related symptoms, impact on work or activities, medications taken, and any follow-up care. A thorough symptom diary shows that you take your condition seriously—and helps your insurer do the same.

Why are headache claims often denied by disability insurers?

Headache-related long term disability claims are often denied by insurance companies because headaches are inherently subjective, difficult to measure, and frequently lack the kind of objective evidence insurers prefer. Even when the symptoms are severe and disabling, insurance companies may look for reasons to dispute or minimize them.

Here are the most common reasons headache claims are denied:

• • Lack of objective evidence: Since headaches usually don’t show up on imaging or lab tests, insurers may argue that there’s insufficient proof of a medical condition. While this argument can be challenged, it’s a common reason for denial.
  • Inconsistent documentation: If your medical records don’t consistently document the frequency, severity, or functional impact of your headaches, your insurer may question the credibility of your claim.
  • Failure to follow treatment: Insurance companies often deny claims if they believe you’re not complying with medical advice or not pursuing all reasonable treatment options, such as seeing a specialist or trying different medications.
  • Minimal specialist involvement: Claims are more likely to be denied if your condition hasn’t been evaluated by a neurologist or headache specialist. Insurance companies often give less weight to primary care records alone.
  • Gaps in care or poor follow-up: If you don’t see your doctor regularly, your insurer may argue that your condition isn’t serious enough to warrant ongoing treatment—or that it has improved.
  • No documented functional limitations: Even if you’ve been diagnosed with chronic headaches, your doctor must specifically note how your condition affects your ability to work. Without that, your insurer may claim that you’re still able to perform your job duties.
  • Suspicion of exaggeration or malingering: Because headaches are invisible and subjective, insurance companies may wrongly assume claimants are overstating symptoms—especially if surveillance footage, social media posts, or inconsistent statements suggest otherwise.
  • Generic or vague medical records: If your medical records use vague terms like “patient reports headache” without describing how it affects your functioning, insurers may claim there’s not enough evidence to support disability.

To reduce the chances of a denial, it’s critical to present a comprehensive package of evidence—medical records, symptom diaries, specialist opinions, and employer documentation—that clearly connects your headaches to work-related limitations.

A long term disability attorney can help ensure your claim is as strong and persuasive as possible. Consulting an attorney early in the process can also help you avoid common mistakes, navigate complex policy language, and protect your rights if your insurance company pushes back.

How can a disability attorney help with a headache disability claim?

Because headaches are subjective and difficult to document, attorneys know how to build a persuasive claim using symptom diaries, medical records, doctor statements, and workplace evidence to show how your condition impairs your ability to work. A disability attorney can help you navigate the challenges of proving a headache-related long term disability claim by gathering the right evidence, coordinating with your medical providers, and presenting your case in a way that aligns with your policy’s requirements. If your claim has been denied, an attorney can also manage the appeals process and fight for the benefits you deserve.

At Riemer Hess, we’ve helped professionals across a wide range of industries secure long term disability benefits for over 30 years. Our attorneys understand how to prove subjective conditions like chronic headaches and know what insurance companies look for when evaluating these types of claims.

Below is a real life example of a client we helped secure long term disability benefits due to chronic headaches.

Riemer Hess Client Success Story: Headaches

“Vera” was a senior marketing executive at a global tech firm, earning a high six-figure salary and managing a fast-paced team responsible for international product launches. Over time, she began experiencing chronic migraines that became increasingly debilitating—causing visual disturbances, nausea, and cognitive fog that made it impossible for her to perform under pressure or meet deadlines. When she was forced to take leave from work, Vera turned to Riemer Hess for help navigating the long term disability claim process.

Our attorneys immediately got to work gathering comprehensive evidence to support Vera’s claim. Although her insurance company relied on peer reviews from biased doctors that questioned the severity of her condition, we successfully refuted those opinions with detailed narrative reports from Vera’s treating neurologist and pain management specialist. We also submitted a symptom diary and functional evidence showing the impact of her migraines on her job performance.

Thanks to our coordinated approach, Vera’s claim was approved, securing her the benefits she needed. Grateful for the assistance, Vera chose to retain Riemer Hess to handle ongoing claim monitoring and protect her benefits long term.