The appeal on the issue of entitlement to service connection for residuals of head trauma is dismissed. The Veteran's headaches are granted as a current disability resulting from an in-service injury. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder and/or PTSD, is remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding its relationship to service.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran withdrew his appeal for residuals of head trauma during the hearing. For headaches, the Board determined there was a current disability (recurrent headaches), in-service incurrence or aggravation, and nexus between the two based on competent lay evidence and VA opinions. The psychiatric disorder case requires further examination to determine if it is related to service.
- Claimed conditions
- Headaches, Acquired psychiatric disorder (including major depressive disorder and/or posttraumatic stress disorder)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 2, 2019
- Citation
- 19100296
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various disabilities, including an acquired psychiatric disability, headaches, a back disability, heart disability, and residuals of a stroke, as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to the Veteran's active service or caused by his service-connected left ear disabilities.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeal in September 2025, stating that she is now 100% permanently and totally disabled effective April 29, 2025.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for a disability rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD with TBI and a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for headaches as secondary to PTSD with TBI due to a duty to assist error.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for erectile dysfunction and remanded the claims for a sleep disorder and headaches to ensure proper development of evidence.
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