The Veteran's posttraumatic headaches are granted an initial rating of 50 percent. The service-connected dysthymic disorder, associated with TBI, is denied any increase in rating. Service connection for the right and left fifth cranial nerve paralyses, hearing loss, and low back disorder is granted.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's posttraumatic headaches are characterized by very frequent and prostrating attacks that are productive of severe economic inadaptability, warranting a maximum initial rating of 50 percent. The service-connected dysthymic disorder does not meet the criteria for any higher ratings due to its mild nature.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic headaches, Dysthymic disorder (associated with TBI), Paralysis of the right fifth cranial nerve, Paralysis of the left fifth cranial nerve, Hearing loss, Low back disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 50%
- Decision date
- April 10, 2020
- Citation
- 20025103
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 20025103.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's initial claim for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for a brain hemorrhage was denied. The reduction of the rating for service-connected lumbar spine disability from 40 percent to 20 percent effective April 8, 2015, and the reduction of the rating for service-connected traumatic brain injury (TBI) from 40 percent to 10 percent effective April 8, 2015, were granted.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for a low back disorder was reopened, and his claims for increased ratings of bilateral knee instability were granted. His hearing loss claim was denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's hearing loss and low back strain claims are remanded for further evaluation. The hearing loss claim is denied, while the low back strain claim requires additional examination to determine its severity.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current hearing loss disability is not related to military noise exposure and there is no evidence of a nexus between in-service noise exposure and his current condition.
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