The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating for headaches was granted with an effective date of August 29, 2013.,For pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB), the Veteran received a non-compensable rating prior to February 24, 2016. From that date onwards, he is not entitled to any higher rating.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found that the Veteran's headaches did not meet the criteria for a 50% rating due to lack of very prostrating and prolonged attacks.,For pseudofolliculitis barbae, the current rating criteria do not support an increase in the rating as there is no evidence of systemic therapy or other conditions that would warrant a higher rating.
- Claimed conditions
- Headaches, Pseudofolliculitis Barbae (PFB)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 12, 2020
- Citation
- 20053583
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 20053583.
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 to revise the effective date for a 50% disability rating for Pseudofolliculitis Barbae (PFB) is dismissed because the July 2024 proposed rating decision was not an appealable determination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for initial compensable ratings for obstructive sleep apnea and headaches, finding that the evidence does not support a finding of persistent daytime hypersomnolence or other manifestations consistent with a compensable disability rating under the criteria established by Diagnostic Codes. The matter is remanded to obtain additional information from the Veteran regarding his headaches and their impact on his daily life.
- Granted
The Veteran's OSA is granted as secondary to PTSD, but his headaches are denied due to lack of service connection.
- Denied
The Veteran's initial noncompensable rating for PFB is denied as the condition did not manifest through scarring or disfigurement during the appeal period.
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