The Veteran's claimed chronic disability of recurrent headaches was not incurred or aggravated during active duty and may not be presumed to have been. The Veteran's service-connected tinnitus did not cause his headaches, so the secondary service connection claim is also denied.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's reported occasional headaches at entry into service were not shown to have permanently worsened beyond their normal progression as a result of active duty service and are not considered aggravated by service. Additionally, there is no evidence that recurrent headaches manifested during or within one year after service. The claim for secondary service connection was also denied because the Veteran's tinnitus did not cause his headaches.
- Claimed conditions
- recurrent headaches
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- April 4, 2011
- Citation
- 1113266
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1113266.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's recurrent headaches are due to his service-connected depressive disorder, not otherwise specified associated with status post reverse total right shoulder replacement. The Board has granted service connection for this condition and is now remanding the issues of sleep apnea, carpal tunnel syndrome (left wrist), carpal tunnel syndrome (right wrist), and seizure disorder as secondary to these conditions.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient reasons and bases in the November 2022 decision, requiring further examinations for service connection of depression and recurrent headaches.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including skin conditions, recurrent headaches, dizziness and vertigo, bilateral lower extremity neuropathy, fatigue syndrome, gastrointestinal disorder, and erectile dysfunction have been dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeals. The claim for a rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD prior to March 26, 2019 was also dismissed.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and opinions regarding his claimed head injury and dental injuries.
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