The Veteran's claims for service connection for tension headaches, other specified trauma and stressor-related disorder, insomnia, and PTSD were denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating for tension headaches and concluded that there was no evidence of characteristic prostrating attacks. Service connection was granted for other specified trauma and stressor-related disorder based on her fear-based stressors related to service. Insomnia was linked to her service-connected other specified trauma and stressor-related disorder. The Veteran's PTSD claim was denied as she did not have a current diagnosis of the condition, and there was no link between her symptoms and in-service stressors. Service connection for sleep apnea was also denied due to lack of evidence linking it to service.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating for tension headaches as she did not report characteristic prostrating attacks indicative of such attacks.
- Claimed conditions
- Tension headaches, Other specified trauma and stressor-related disorder, Insomnia, Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- November 7, 2024
- Citation
- A24073193
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,341 · Granted: 33% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed 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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation A24073193.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) at the (o) rate and SMC at the (r)(2) rate, effective January 19, 2025. The decision finds that the Veteran's service-connected conditions warrant these awards due to his need for aid and attendance.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to errors in the AOJ's handling of the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, other specified trauma and stressor-related disorder, and depression. The AOJ is required to verify the Veteran's claimed stressor and obtain medical opinions regarding the diagnoses and their relation to service.
- Whole decision: 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.
- Whole decision: 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.
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