The Veteran's initial compensable rating for his skin disability of the arm and groin is denied.,Prior to July 20, 2018, he was not entitled to a compensable rating for his tension headaches. From July 20, 2018 onwards, he is granted an increased rating of 30 percent for his service-connected tension headaches.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's skin disability did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under either the old or new VA regulations. The evidence showed that it covered less than five percent of his total body area and was treated with topical medication.,For his tension headaches, prior to July 20, 2018, there were no characteristic prostrating attacks averaging once a month. From July 20, 2018 onwards, he experienced vertigo/ataxia but denied other symptoms of migraines.
- Claimed conditions
- Skin disability (tinea cruris), Tension headaches
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- November 5, 2020
- Citation
- 20071641
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,455 · Granted: 23% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 20071641.
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 evaluation for tension headaches to include migraines is granted, with a rating of 50 percent effective from May 23, 2023.
- 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.
- 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.
- Granted
The Veteran's tension headaches are rated at a 30 percent rating, effective December 26, 2024. The Board found that the Veteran experienced characteristic prostrating attacks occurring on an average of once a month over the last several months, warranting this rating. A higher rating is denied.
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