The Veteran's service connection claims for migraine headaches, thoracolumbar disorder, and cervical spine disorder have been granted. The Board found that the Veteran had unremitting headache symptoms since service and currently has diagnosed migraine headaches related to service. For the thoracolumbar and cervical spine disorders, the Board noted current diagnoses but was unable to provide a nexus opinion without resorting to speculation.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner could not provide an etiological opinion without resorting to mere speculation regarding the Veteran's in-service complaints of neck pain and the relationship between his current thoracolumbar and cervical spine disorders and service.
- Claimed conditions
- migraine headaches, thoracolumbar disorder, cervical spine disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 27, 2013
- Citation
- 1331254
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 1331254.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, and PTSD due to additional development of records and examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to incomplete medical records and insufficient opinions regarding the relationship between service, including a stick injury in England, and current left eye disability (including amblyopia and cataracts) as well as migraine headaches.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for a cervical spine disorder, finding that the Veteran's current condition is at least as likely as not related to his active military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's migraine headaches are productive of very frequent, completely prostrating and prolonged attacks capable of producing severe economic inadaptability. The Board has granted a 50 percent disability rating for the Veteran's service-connected migraine headaches.
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