The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for migraine headaches was denied. The Veteran received a higher initial disability rating of 30% for his service-connected migraine headaches, but the claim for a TDIU remains pending.
The deciding factor: The effective date for the grant of service connection for migraine headaches could not be earlier than October 23, 2008, due to the liberalizing regulations that became effective on this date. The Veteran's closed head injury and ischemic heart disease were evaluated based on their current severity.
- Claimed conditions
- migraine muscle tension headaches, closed head injury, ischemic heart disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- December 1, 2017
- Citation
- 1755330
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 1755330.
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: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for a heart condition, including ischemic heart disease. The evidence did not support a finding of a current disability related to service.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, ischemic heart disease, right lower extremity peripheral artery disease, left lower extremity peripheral artery disease, and hypertension as the evidence did not establish an in-service event or exposure to herbicide agents.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's claim for a heart disability prior to his death is granted as he was entitled to accrued benefits due to the September 1994 claim, which included ischemic heart disease, a covered herbicide disease.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's ischemic heart disease is granted as service connected due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents while serving aboard the USS Intrepid within 12 nautical miles of the Republic of Vietnam.
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