The Board granted service connection for headaches, right and left heel pain, and a lumbar spine disability as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected cervical spine C5 fracture residuals. The claims for ratings in excess of 20 percent for upper extremity radiculopathy were denied.
The deciding factor: The evidence supported direct service connection for the headaches and foot pain based on credible lay statements and medical literature, while the lumbar spine disability was granted as secondary to a service-connected condition. The claims for higher ratings for radiculopathy were denied due to the lack of sufficient symptomatology to warrant a higher rating.
- Claimed conditions
- headaches, right heel pain, left heel pain, lumbar spine disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 2, 2025
- Citation
- A25103410
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 140 · Granted: 18% (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 A25103410.
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
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 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.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for headaches was reopened due to new and material evidence, and the Board found that his current headaches are related to service. Service connection is granted.
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