The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for TBI residuals, to include headaches, finding that there was no evidence of a diagnosed TBI or related disabilities in service and that any current symptoms were likely due to his co-existing mental diagnoses and/or deviated septum.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found no evidence of a TBI or related disabilities in the Veteran's service treatment records or post-service treatment records, and concluded that the Veteran’s headaches are more likely related to his co-existing mental diagnoses and/or deviated septum.
- Claimed conditions
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) residuals, Headaches
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 5, 2020
- Citation
- 20071600
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various disabilities, including an acquired psychiatric disability, headaches, a back disability, heart disability, and residuals of a stroke, as the evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to the Veteran's active service or caused by his service-connected left ear disabilities.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeal in September 2025, stating that she is now 100% permanently and totally disabled effective April 29, 2025.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for a disability rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD with TBI and a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for headaches as secondary to PTSD with TBI due to a duty to assist error.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for erectile dysfunction and remanded the claims for a sleep disorder and headaches to ensure proper development of evidence.
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