The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims of entitlement to initial compensable ratings for tension headaches and a rating higher than 50 percent for PTSD with anxiety due to inadequate examinations. The Veteran needs updated VA treatment records and an appropriate examination.
The deciding factor: The July 2018 VA examinations were not as detailed as they could be, focusing on the diagnostic criteria over the specifics of symptoms, which may have affected their accuracy.
- Claimed conditions
- Tension headaches, Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with anxiety
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 24, 2019
- Citation
- 19131635
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 the veteran's claims for increased ratings for various disabilities, including lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, radiculopathy of both femoral and sciatic nerves, tension headaches, residual scarring, and PTSD.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for readjudication due to new and relevant evidence being submitted since the previous denial.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issues of entitlement to service connection for essential left-hand tremors, essential right-hand tremors, restless left leg syndrome, restless right leg syndrome, and tension headaches as further development is needed.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remanded several claims for further development and readjudication, including service connection for OSA and hypertension, as well as increased ratings for right wrist sprain, MDD, tension headaches, and other musculoskeletal conditions.
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.