The Veteran's claims for service connection for cephalgia and traumatic brain injury were denied in 1989, but reopened in 2012. The Board found that the earliest effective date was September 7, 2012.
The deciding factor: The law requires an effective date to be based on the date of receipt of a claim, not earlier than four years after separation from service.
- Claimed conditions
- cephalgia, traumatic brain injury
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 24, 2019
- Citation
- 19149249
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.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for traumatic brain injury has been withdrawn by the Veteran.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for an initial compensable rating for chronic post-traumatic headaches, service connection for a traumatic brain injury, and service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include depression, insomnia, and sleeping condition.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for a low back disorder, left lower extremity radiculopathy, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and traumatic brain injury due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions and denied increased ratings for several service-connected disabilities, as the evidence did not support a finding of current disability or aggravation related to service.
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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.