The Board denied a rating in excess of 50 percent for cluster headaches and a compensable rating for residual scar of the left ear, status post excision of a cyst prior to January 11, 2022. As of that date, a 10 percent rating was granted for the residual scar.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran's cluster headaches did not result in symptomatology beyond what is contemplated by the current 50 percent rating and that his left ear scar had characteristics that warranted only a noncompensable rating until January 11, 2022, when it became painful enough to warrant a 10 percent rating.
- Claimed conditions
- Cluster headaches, Residual scar of the left ear, status post excision of a cyst
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 5, 2023
- Citation
- 23000562
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
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 bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), alcohol use disorder, and cluster headaches. The claims were remanded for further development of the evidence regarding unspecified mood disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and somatic symptom disorder.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issue of entitlement to an initial compensable disability rating for cluster headaches prior to April 5, 2023, to obtain a retrospective medical opinion and outstanding VA treatment records.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for cluster headaches as secondary to tinnitus and denied an initial compensable rating for a right ankle scar.
- Remanded (sent back)
The appeal for eligibility for benefits under the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA's) Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers is remanded due to an AOJ error in satisfying a regulatory and statutory duty.
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