The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and migraine headaches, both secondary to the Veteran's service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The deciding factor: The August 2015 VA examiner opined that the Veteran's tinnitus is less likely than not related to military noise exposure. However, the May 2024 VA opinion and the Veteran's credible lay report of continuity of tinnitus symptomatology since active duty provided a favorable nexus. For migraine headaches, the January 2020 VA examiner opined that they are less likely than not due to burn pit emissions or environmental hazard exposure during service. The May 2024 private neuropsychologist indicated that the Veteran's migraines are more likely than not related to his PTSD.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, migraine headaches
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 9, 2024
- Citation
- 24031608
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's migraine headaches were granted a 50 percent disability rating, effective August 8, 2023, due to very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks that are productive of severe economic inadaptability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for tinnitus to correct a duty to assist error, as the Veteran's lay statements regarding onset and continuity of symptoms were not adequately considered in the previous decision.
- Granted
The Board granted a 50 percent rating for the Veteran's migraine headaches based on prostrating attacks occurring more than once a month and severe economic inadaptability.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for migraine headaches as proximately due to the Veteran's service-connected tinnitus.
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