The Veteran's service-connected chronic cluster headaches are manifested by mild to severe headaches lasting for under one hour. Although frequent, the headaches do not meet the criteria for a higher rating as they are not completely prostrating and prolonged or productive of severe economic inadaptability.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not reflect that the Veteran's headaches were equivalent to migraines marked by very frequent attacks and completely prostrating and prolonged attacks that actually produced, or were capable of producing, severe economic inadaptability.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic cluster headaches
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- March 7, 2018
- Citation
- 1814126
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 1814126.
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to conflicting decisions and motions from the Court. The Veteran's sole service-connected disability is chronic cluster headaches, which does not meet the criteria for schedular TDIU consideration. However, the Board finds that his headaches may have prevented him from being capable of obtaining or maintaining a substantially gainful occupation.
- Granted
The Veteran's chronic cluster headaches are currently rated at 50% effective from February 3, 2017. The Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted prior to this date and grants the increased rating claim. For TDIU, the Veteran has provided evidence of his disability preventing him from working since July 2009, which is within one year of his initial claim. Therefore, the effective date for TDIU is also granted as November 2010.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected chronic cluster headaches prevent him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment, meeting the criteria for a TDIU.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA examination. The Veteran's claims for an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for chronic cluster headaches and service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder remain pending.
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