The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including bipolar disorder, was reopened and granted. Service connection for PTSD was denied. The effective date of the award for post-concussive migraine headaches and TBI is set at April 11, 2017.,Service connection for TBI and left eyebrow scar was also granted with an effective date of April 11, 2017.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was denied because the claimed stressors were not supported by evidence. The claim for bipolar disorder was reopened due to new medical evidence linking it to service.
- Claimed conditions
- Acquired psychiatric disorder (bipolar disorder), Post-concussive migraine headaches, Traumatic brain injury (TBI), Left eyebrow scar
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 50%
- Decision date
- January 19, 2024
- Citation
- 24002944
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,249 · Granted: 37% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 24002944.
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.
- 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 Veteran's claim for service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) was denied because the disability is not shown as chronic in service and did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period; continuity of symptomatology is not established; and the disability is not otherwise etiologically related to an in-service injury or disease.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disability was denied because the disability was not shown as chronic in service and did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period; continuity of symptomatology is not established; and the disability is not otherwise etiologically related to an in-service injury or disease.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a traumatic brain injury (TBI) was denied because there is no evidence of loss of consciousness or memory impairment following the motor vehicle accident during service, and post-service VA treatment records do not show a diagnosis of TBI.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration due to inadequate opinions regarding the Veteran's cervical spine condition and TBI. The VA will obtain an adequate opinion on both issues.
- Granted
The Veteran's tension headaches, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and traumatic brain injury are rated at 50 percent each. The Board has granted a TDIU from October 30, 2014 to July 10, 2024 due to the severity of these service-connected conditions.
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.