The Veteran's headaches were rated at 30 percent prior to October 30, 2019 and granted a 50 percent rating thereafter. The Veteran is not entitled to an earlier effective date for TDIU or DEA benefits.
The deciding factor: The Veteran’s headache disability more nearly approximated the criteria for a 50 percent rating since October 30, 2019, but prior to that date his headaches were rated at 30 percent. The effective dates for TDIU and DEA benefits are denied as they occurred after the receipt of claims.
- Claimed conditions
- headaches, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy, tinnitus, lung cancer, lung surgical scars, bilateral hearing loss, hemorrhoids
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- November 3, 2020
- Citation
- A20016376
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 A20016376.
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 Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's headaches are at least as likely as not caused by his service-connected traumatic brain injury, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
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