The veteran's claim for a compensable rating for a scar on the head, and claims for service connection for chronic headaches and lumbar disc disease were denied as there was no evidence linking these conditions to his time in service.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found that the veteran's current headache and back pain could not be significantly related to the injury he sustained during service. There was also no evidence of a back injury or chronic headaches during service, and the first post-service treatment records for both conditions are from many years after his discharge.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic headaches, lumbar disc disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 28, 2008
- Citation
- 0810247
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The appeal of the evaluation in excess of 30 percent for chronic headaches was dismissed by the Veteran prior to the promulgation of a decision.
- Denied
The Veteran's request for higher-level review of the November 2014 rating decision was denied as untimely.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for left and right hip strain, left and right ankle pain, and bilateral plantar fasciitis as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected bilateral knee disability. The claims for allergic rhinitis, chronic sinusitis, chronic headaches, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and post traumatic residual pain and cramping of the left lower leg were remanded.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's service connection for chronic headaches was granted, while claims for bilateral hearing loss, chronic fatigue syndrome, a higher rating for contusion of the left great toe, and an initial compensable rating for allergic rhinitis were denied.
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