The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining missing service treatment records and providing an adequate VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of any diagnosed hand and finger disorders. The claims for service connection are also remanded.
The deciding factor: The decision was not about service connection but rather a request for an initial compensable disability rating for tension headaches, which is now being remanded due to insufficient evidence in the record.
- Claimed conditions
- Tension headaches, Left thumb disorder, Left index finger disorder, Left long finger disorder, Left ring finger disorder, Left little finger disorder, Right thumb disorder, Right index finger disorder, Right long finger disorder, Right ring finger disorder, Right little finger disorder, Right foot disorder, Right hip disorder, Left hip disorder
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 22, 2024
- Citation
- 24017134
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 24017134.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's initial evaluation for tension headaches to include migraines is granted, with a rating of 50 percent effective from May 23, 2023.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for a compensable disability rating for tension and migraine headaches is remanded due to the inadequacy of the September 2020 VA examination report, which did not consider the ameliorative effects of medication.
- Granted
The Veteran's tension headaches, which have been service-connected since the grant of service connection, are found to be very frequent and completely prostrating with prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability. The Board grants an initial 50 percent rating for tension headaches prior to December 1, 2020.
- Granted
The Veteran's tension headaches are rated at a 30 percent rating, effective December 26, 2024. The Board found that the Veteran experienced characteristic prostrating attacks occurring on an average of once a month over the last several months, warranting this rating. A higher rating is denied.
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