The Veteran's headache condition was not considered a medical emergency, and VA facilities were feasibly available for treatment. The Board denied payment or reimbursement of the unauthorized medical expenses incurred at HCMC on February 16, 2012.
The deciding factor: The Veteran did not demonstrate that his condition met the criteria for a medical emergency as defined by VA regulations.
- Claimed conditions
- headache
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 1, 2019
- Citation
- 19115198
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 19115198.
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
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for depression but granted an initial 50 percent rating for a headache disability.
- Granted
The Board granted eligibility for attorney's fees based on past-due benefits awarded in a November 2024 rating decision for an increased initial rating of 50 percent for the service-connected headache disability.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an initial 30 percent rating for a facial scar and a separate 10 percent rating for pain, but dismissed appeals for service connection for sleep apnea and back disability due to untimely notices of disagreement. The claims for an acquired psychiatric disability and headaches were remanded.
- Dismissed
The Board denied the veteran's appeal for service connection for various conditions as the appeals were not timely filed.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.