The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and a 50 percent rating for migraine headaches, while remanding claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and increased ratings for tremors of the hands.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's psychiatric symptoms were linked to his military experiences during Gulf War deployment, and his migraine headaches met the criteria for a 50 percent rating due to their frequency and severity.
- Claimed conditions
- Acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD and major depressive disorder), Migraine headaches, Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), Tremors of the hands, left upper extremity, Tremors of the hands, right upper extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 50%
- Decision date
- December 1, 2025
- Citation
- A25102902
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,062 · Granted: 34% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted 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. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation A25102902.
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
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Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), finding that both conditions are secondary to the Veteran's service-connected lower back condition and sinusitis, respectively.
- Granted
The Veteran's service connection claims for traumatic brain injury and migraine headaches due to right eye removal are granted. The claim for a compensable evaluation of xeroderma of the right eye is remanded.
- Denied
The Board denied an increased initial disability rating for migraine headaches, finding that the Veteran's symptoms did not meet the criteria for a 50% rating due to lack of very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks productive of severe economic inadaptability.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for a higher level of SMC was denied as the Board found that he is already in receipt of SMC at the (l) rate based on need for regular aid and attendance due to service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease with congestive heart failure. A second award of SMC at the (l) rate based on need for regular aid and attendance was not warranted.
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