The Board denied service connection for brain damage and lesions, as well as a chronic headache disorder, finding no evidence of a current disability related to an in-service injury or event.
The deciding factor: There was no medical evidence linking the veteran's claimed conditions to his military service. The earliest documentation of these conditions post-service did not support a connection to service.
- Claimed conditions
- Brain damage and lesions, Chronic headache disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 7, 2009
- Citation
- 0900514
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.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disorder and remanded several other claims, including those for an acquired psychiatric disorder, headache, hypertension, cervical spine, thoracic spine, shin splints, foot disorders, and tinnitus.
- Denied
The Board found that the evidence does not support service connection for flat feet, a skin disorder of the face due to shaving, hypertension, a visual disorder, and a chronic headache disorder.
- Partly granted
The veteran's sleep apnea syndrome was granted service connection, while a chronic headache disorder and residuals of an injury to the right eye were denied.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.