The Veteran's service-connected cluster headaches are currently evaluated at a 30 percent rating, effective from the date of his claim. The Board finds that he has characteristic prostrating attacks occurring on an average once a month over the last several months.
The deciding factor: The Veteran reported frequent but brief (20-30 seconds) and infrequent severe headaches which caused him to take a 'time out' during each episode, meeting the criteria for a 30 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 8100.
- Claimed conditions
- Cluster Headaches
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- December 28, 2015
- Citation
- 1553900
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 1553900.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for sinusitis and irritable bowel syndrome, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss. Other claims were either denied or remanded.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 30 percent evaluation for GERD and a 50 percent evaluation for cluster headaches, but denied an increased rating for right foot plantar fasciitis. The Veteran was also granted a 10 percent evaluation for external hemorrhoids effective May 19, 2024.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected cluster headaches have been rated at 50 percent since March 14, 2011. The Board affirms this rating based on the severity of his symptoms and their impact on his ability to work.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for an increased disability rating for his service-connected cluster headaches is being remanded due to insufficient medical opinions. The Board will seek new medical opinions without considering the ameliorative effects of medication.
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