The Board denied service connection for a migraine disability, PTSD, and left upper extremity radiculopathy. The Veteran's headaches were not shown in service or thereafter, and the most probative evidence indicates they are not related to service. Service connection was granted for PTSD. There is no current diagnosis of left upper extremity radiculopathy.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there was no chronic headache disability in service or after service, and the Veteran did not meet criteria for a TBI. The Veteran's PTSD was diagnosed based on his military experiences but without evidence of combat exposure. Service connection for left upper extremity radiculopathy was denied due to lack of current diagnosis.
- Claimed conditions
- migraine headache, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), left upper extremity neurological disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 9, 2019
- Citation
- 19102443
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 940 · Granted: 21% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19102443.
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
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The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, is being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding his alleged stressors.
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The Board has remanded the case for additional development regarding the Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, and PTSD due to additional development of records and examination.
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