The Veteran's tension headaches and major depressive disorder with anxious distress have been granted service connection, with a 70 percent rating since February 27, 2017. The effective dates for service connection and increased ratings are denied.
The deciding factor: The Board found the evidence in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's tension headaches were caused by her major depressive disorder with anxious distress, resulting in service connection being granted. For the major depressive disorder with anxious distress, the Board found that the Veteran's symptoms since February 27, 2017 met the criteria for a 70 percent rating.
- Claimed conditions
- Tension headaches, Major depressive disorder with anxious distress
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- April 3, 2020
- Citation
- 20023117
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 20023117.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's major depressive disorder with anxious distress is rated at 30 percent, and the Board has determined that a higher rating is not warranted.
- Granted
The Veteran's initial evaluation for tension headaches to include migraines is granted, with a rating of 50 percent effective from May 23, 2023.
- Granted
The Veteran's tension headaches, which have been service-connected since the grant of service connection, are found to be very frequent and completely prostrating with prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability. The Board grants an initial 50 percent rating for tension headaches prior to December 1, 2020.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for a compensable disability rating for tension and migraine headaches is remanded due to the inadequacy of the September 2020 VA examination report, which did not consider the ameliorative effects of medication.
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