The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for a 50% rating for headaches, SMC at the housebound rate, and TDIU. The earliest factually ascertainable date for the assignment of a 50% rating for headaches is May 13, 2015.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran's assertions regarding his in-service motorcycle accident were not credible due to lack of supporting evidence in the contemporaneous service treatment records.
- Claimed conditions
- Headaches, Cognitive Disorder, Degenerative Joint Disease of the Cervical Spine, Seborrheic Dermatitis, Chronic Gastritis, Bilateral Morton's Neuroma, Chronic Sinusitis, Burns to Chest, Hands and Back, Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Syndrome, Hemorrhoids, Dystrophic Left Thumbnail
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- November 5, 2018
- Citation
- 18147629
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 18147629.
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: Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeal for an increased evaluation of his hemorrhoids, so the case is dismissed.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for initial compensable ratings for obstructive sleep apnea and headaches, finding that the evidence does not support a finding of persistent daytime hypersomnolence or other manifestations consistent with a compensable disability rating under the criteria established by Diagnostic Codes. The matter is remanded to obtain additional information from the Veteran regarding his headaches and their impact on his daily life.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's OSA is granted as secondary to PTSD, but his headaches are denied due to lack of service connection.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's headaches, which manifested as very frequent and prolonged attacks causing severe economic inadaptability, are granted a 50 percent disability rating for the entire period on appeal.
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