The Veteran's claim for service connection of sinus headaches was denied in April 2008. He did not file a timely appeal or request to reopen the claim within one year, making the decision final. The Veteran filed a new claim on December 15, 2011, and his claim was granted with an effective date of December 15, 2011. The Board found that this grant could not be earlier than December 15, 2011.
The deciding factor: The original denial in April 2008 was final as the Veteran did not file a timely appeal or request to reopen within one year of the decision.
- Claimed conditions
- sinus headaches
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- May 25, 2018
- Citation
- 18105360
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 18105360.
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 Veteran's claims for service connection for major depressive disorder and sinus headaches are granted with effective dates of February 29, 2024.
- Granted
The Veteran's service connection for sinusitis and sinus headaches was granted in the June 2024 rating decision, resulting in past-due benefits. The appellant is eligible to receive a direct payment of attorney fees based on these past-due benefits.
- Granted
The Veteran's sinus headaches have been rated as noncompensable since February 19, 2020. The Board has determined that the symptoms are now severe enough to warrant a 50% disability rating.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for allergic rhinitis, sinus headaches, left upper extremity hypoesthesia, an acquired psychiatric disorder, and a left knee disability due to errors in the development of the record.
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