The Veteran's initial evaluation for posttraumatic headaches was granted at a 50 percent rating. The claim for service connection of lumbar degenerative disc disease and lumbar spondylosis as secondary to TBI is remanded.
The deciding factor: The Board found conflicting opinions regarding the frequency and severity of the Veteran's headache attacks, but resolved doubt in favor of the Veteran finding his headaches were prostrating in nature. The claim for service connection was remanded due to insufficient evidence on whether the lumbar spine disability was caused or aggravated by TBI.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic headaches, Lumbar degenerative disc disease and lumbar spondylosis
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 4, 2019
- Citation
- 19108469
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,893 · Granted: 31% (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 19108469.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's initial claim for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for a brain hemorrhage was denied. The reduction of the rating for service-connected lumbar spine disability from 40 percent to 20 percent effective April 8, 2015, and the reduction of the rating for service-connected traumatic brain injury (TBI) from 40 percent to 10 percent effective April 8, 2015, were granted.
- Granted
The Veteran's initial 30 percent disability rating for posttraumatic headaches is granted, while his request for a higher rating for PTSD with TBI remains denied.
- Denied
The Veteran's appeal was denied because the November 24, 2023 decision granting service connection for posttraumatic headaches and post-concussion syndrome was not timely appealed. The Veteran did not file a timely Board Appeal request within one year of receiving the decision.
- Granted
The Veteran's posttraumatic headaches are rated at a 30 percent since June 18, 2012. The rating is granted prior to October 15, 2020 and denied from that date onwards.
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