The Veteran's initial claim for a 10 percent rating for tension headaches has been granted. The Board has also remanded several other issues related to service connection and disability ratings.
The deciding factor: The Veteran testified about his headache symptoms, which the Board found commensurate with prostrating attacks in impact, warranting a 10 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 8100 for tension headaches. The remaining claims are remanded due to potential increased severity of service-connected disabilities and need for additional examinations.
- Claimed conditions
- tension headaches, left thumb disorder, right thumb disorder, left index and long finger disorder, right index and long finger disorder, left ring and little finger disorder, right ring and little finger disorder, right shoulder strain, right knee strain with osteoarthritis, left knee strain with osteoarthritis, scars (head, face, or neck), left achilles tendon rupture
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 7, 2023
- Citation
- 23065139
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 23065139.
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 determined that additional development is needed for the claims on appeal, including obtaining any outstanding treatment records and scheduling VA examinations to assess the current severity of service-connected disabilities. The Veteran's representative also requested reevaluation of his service-connected disabilities.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeals for service connection for asthma and a 10 percent rating based on multiple noncompensable service-connected disabilities were dismissed. The claim of entitlement to a compensable rating for eczema was denied, while the claim of entitlement to allergic rhinitis was not addressed as it pertained to different issues.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for right shoulder strain as there is no evidence of a chronic condition in service or within one year after discharge, and the medical opinion found that his current condition is not related to his military service.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for headaches as secondary to his service-connected sleep apnea, tinnitus, cervical spine disability, and GERD. The decision is based on a finding of relative equipoise between the conflicting opinions regarding causation.
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