The Veteran's appeal for an initial compensable rating for tension headaches and increased disability rating for Still's disease rated as 40 percent disabling were denied by the Board.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations indicated that the Veteran's headaches are characterized by non-prostrating tension muscle contraction type attacks, which do not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under Diagnostic Code 8100. The Veteran's Still's disease was rated based on its direct effects without considering chronic residuals.
- Claimed conditions
- Tension headaches, Still's disease (rheumatoid arthritis)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 22, 2010
- Citation
- 1003379
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 1003379.
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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for major depressive disorder with anxious distress, alcohol use disorder, tension headaches, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and erectile dysfunction, all of which are found to be related to the Veteran's military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for a low back disability, right shoulder disability, and tension headaches due to inadequate medical opinions.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for an intestinal disability, manifesting as irregular bowel movements causing impairment in earning capacity. The Veteran was also denied a higher initial rating for low back pain with degenerative arthritis, stenosis, and strain, but granted a 10 percent rating from March 30, 2024, for tension headaches.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for various disabilities, including lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, radiculopathy of both femoral and sciatic nerves, tension headaches, residual scarring, and PTSD.
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