The Board remands the issue of service connection for headaches (claimed as migraines) to correct pre-decisional errors, including a lack of adequate medical opinion and consideration of pre-existing conditions.
The deciding factor: The September 2022 VA medical opinion lacks necessary rationale, and there were pre-decisional errors in not obtaining a VA examination and VA addendum medical opinion prior to the November 2022 rating decision on appeal.
- Claimed conditions
- headaches (claimed as migraines)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 16, 2025
- Citation
- A25034900
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for headaches (claimed as migraines) because the Veteran does not have a qualifying current disability. The evidence indicates that the headache symptoms were a side effect of medication and not an independent disability.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a medical examination to determine if the Veteran's current neck strain is related to his in-service activities.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD due to an inadequate medical opinion.
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