Service connection for a low back disorder and headaches secondary to PTSD has been granted. Service connection for TMJ disorder was reopened, but not granted.,A disability rating of 70 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is in effect.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's headaches are found to be proximately due to her service-connected PTSD, meeting the criteria for secondary service connection.
- Claimed conditions
- Low Back Disorder, TMJ Disorder, Headaches (secondary to PTSD)
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- November 23, 2020
- Citation
- 20074893
Veterans Law Judge
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 20074893.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The reduction of the disability rating for headaches from 50% to 30% is not proper and is void ab initio. Effective dates are denied for various service connection claims.,Multiple issues related to initial disability ratings, effective dates, and earlier effective dates for higher ratings are remanded.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew his appeals for higher ratings in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected right knee disability and low back disorder. As a result, the cases are dismissed.
- Denied
The Board has denied service connection for right shoulder disorder, low back disorder, and bilateral knee disorders as these conditions are not shown to be related to military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for right hip and low back disorders due to potential errors in duty to assist. Additional medical opinions are needed to address causation.
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