The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder is granted as secondary to his service-connected disabilities.,The Veteran's low back disorder is granted as incurred in, or caused by, military service.,The Veteran's cluster headaches are granted as first manifested during service.,The Veteran's dizzy spells are granted as first manifested during service.
The deciding factor: The evidence shows that the Veteran's current psychiatric disorder is proximately due to chronic pain associated with his service-connected disabilities, and it was at least as likely as not secondary to his left humerus/shoulder disability.,The Veteran has a current diagnosis of lumbosacral strain, which he testified was caused by injury from carrying ruck sacks, running around, and wearing boots during military service. The evidence supports this, including in-service complaints of back pain and post-service treatment records showing continued symptoms.,The Veteran's cluster headaches have been diagnosed since 1980, coinciding with his military service. Post-service records show continued findings of cluster headaches.,The Veteran has a history of dizzy spells dating back to 1981 during military service. Post-service records confirm this and note that the condition worsened in the last three and a half years.
- Claimed conditions
- Acquired psychiatric disorder, Back disability, Cluster headaches, Dizzy spells
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 8, 2022
- Citation
- 22062645
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 22062645.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability and an increased rating for his acquired psychiatric disorder. The Board found that there was no evidence linking the current disabilities to military service.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a back disability, finding that there was no evidence to support a nexus between his current condition and active duty service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for a determination on whether injuries sustained in a November 2001 incident were in the line of duty. The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is also remanded due to its interdependence with the line of duty issue.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to a duty to assist error in failing to obtain private treatment records from the Veteran's treating clinician.
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