The Veteran's migraine headaches are currently rated at 30 percent, but the Board finds that they do not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating.,New and material evidence has been received sufficient to reopen the claim for service connection for a bilateral knee disability as secondary to pes planus. The claim is remanded for further development.,The Veteran's right knee condition was found not to be caused by his service-connected pes planus, and it is also not aggravated by pes planus beyond its natural progression.,The Veteran's left knee condition has not been evaluated in this decision as the issue remains pending.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not show very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks of migraine headache pain, which are necessary for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 8100.,The most recent VA examination reports do not provide an opinion on whether the Veteran's bilateral knee conditions were caused or aggravated by his service-connected pes planus. The Board finds these opinions to be more probative than the Veteran’s own lay opinion.,There is no medical evidence of record tending to indicate any etiological relationship between the Veteran’s right knee condition and his pes planus, and the VA examiners provided rationale for their opinions.,The issue of service connection for a left knee disability as secondary to pes planus remains pending.
- Claimed conditions
- Migraine headaches, Bilateral knee disability (secondary to pes planus), Right knee disability (secondary to pes planus), Left knee disability (secondary to pes planus)
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 23, 2021
- Citation
- 21009812
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 21009812.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's service connection claims for traumatic brain injury and migraine headaches due to right eye removal are granted. The claim for a compensable evaluation of xeroderma of the right eye is remanded.
- Denied
The Board denied an increased initial disability rating for migraine headaches, finding that the Veteran's symptoms did not meet the criteria for a 50% rating due to lack of very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for service connection and increased ratings were dismissed due to an improper concurrent election.
- Granted
The Veteran's 50% disability evaluation for migraine headaches was restored to May 12, 2021 after the reduction in rating was found not proper.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.