The Veteran's tension headaches are rated at 30 percent effective December 28, 2022. The rating for lumbosacral strain, degenerative arthritis, and IVDS is granted at 20 percent effective December 28, 2022.
The deciding factor: The evidence supports a finding that the Veteran's tension headaches are manifested by very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability, warranting a 30 percent rating under DC 8100. The lumbosacral strain, degenerative arthritis, and IVDS is rated at 20 percent as it meets the criteria for such a rating.
- Claimed conditions
- Tension headaches, Left lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve, Right lower extremity radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve, Lumbosacral strain, degenerative arthritis, and intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- December 23, 2024
- Citation
- A24085771
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 A24085771.
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 initial evaluation for tension headaches to include migraines is granted, with a rating of 50 percent effective from May 23, 2023.
- 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.
- 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 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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