The Veteran's service connection claim for headaches, to include migraine headaches, is remanded due to the need for a VA examination and medical opinion regarding the etiology of his current disabilities. The examiner must consider all relevant evidence, including the Veteran's STRs from April 1991 reflecting complaints of frequent or severe headaches, his diagnosis of headaches consistent with migraine headaches in March 2005, and his description of the gas attack in Saudi Arabia in 1991.
The deciding factor: The November 2019 opinion is inadequate as it did not address whether the Veteran's current migraines were related to his in-service complaints of headaches and failed to consider the Veteran's actual exposure to chemical weapons during service.
- Claimed conditions
- headaches, migraine headaches
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 7, 2024
- Citation
- A24044835
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 A24044835.
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 Board has determined that the Veteran's headaches are at least as likely as not caused by his service-connected traumatic brain injury, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, and PTSD due to additional development of records and examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development of records and will provide a supplemental statement of the case if necessary.
- Partly granted
The Board has not made a final determination on the claims of service connection for inguinal hernia, PTSD, joint pain, fibromyalgia, left knee disability, right knee disability, tinnitus, chronic fatigue syndrome, respiratory disability, sleep disorder, IBS, and headaches. The claims are remanded to obtain additional evidence and determine if these conditions are related to service.
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