The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The claim for increased ratings was denied as the evidence did not show that the Veteran met the criteria for a compensable evaluation prior to January 31, 2018, in excess of 10 percent prior to July 5, 2022, and in excess of 20 percent thereafter. The claims for service connection were denied as there was no evidence of a current skin disorder or headaches at any time during the pendency of the claim.
The deciding factor: The Veteran did not meet the criteria for higher ratings under the applicable rating criteria due to lack of forward flexion limitation and/or IVDS episodes. The claims for service connection were denied as there was no evidence of a current skin disorder or headaches at any time during the pendency of the claim.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral L4 spondylosis with grade 1 spondylolisthesis and mild degenerative disc disease L4-S1, Skin disorder, Headaches, Right knee arthritis, Plantar fasciitis, Cervical spine pain
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 8, 2023
- Citation
- 23044158
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 23044158.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for initial compensable ratings for obstructive sleep apnea and headaches, finding that the evidence does not support a finding of persistent daytime hypersomnolence or other manifestations consistent with a compensable disability rating under the criteria established by Diagnostic Codes. The matter is remanded to obtain additional information from the Veteran regarding his headaches and their impact on his daily life.
- Granted
The Veteran's OSA is granted as secondary to PTSD, but his headaches are denied due to lack of service connection.
- Granted
The Veteran's headaches, which manifested as very frequent and prolonged attacks causing severe economic inadaptability, are granted a 50 percent disability rating for the entire period on appeal.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran seeks an earlier effective date for a 30 percent disability rating for his service-connected headaches, which was awarded with a noncompensable rating at 0 percent. The Board is remanding the claim due to inadequate examination and the need for a new VA examination to evaluate the severity of the Veteran's headaches without considering the ameliorating effects of any medication.
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