The Board granted an earlier effective date of May 19, 2021 for the 20 percent rating for degenerative arthritis of the right elbow joint and a 30 percent disability rating for migraine headaches, while denying increased ratings for other conditions.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's continuous pursuit of increased ratings for his right elbow disability from May 19, 2021, supported an earlier effective date. For the right elbow, the severity was ascertainable more than one year prior to the claim, and the Board granted a 30 percent rating for migraine headaches based on symptomatology.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative arthritis of the right elbow joint, status post ulnar nerve transposition surgery, limitation of flexion of the forearm, Migraine headaches, Degenerative arthritis of the right elbow joint, status post ulnar nerve transposition surgery, limitation of extension, Femoral nerve disability in the right lower extremity, Femoral nerve disability in the left lower extremity, Sleep apnea
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- December 8, 2025
- Citation
- A25105542
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,934 · Granted: 41% (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 A25105542.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for sleep apnea and acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD) due to insufficient evidence of record. The Veteran is required to undergo VA examinations to determine if his conditions are related to service.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral pes planus with hammer toes, hallux valgus and degenerative arthritis, sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and bilateral kidney cysts, rendered him unable to secure or follow gainful employment. The Board granted the TDIU based on these conditions.
- 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.
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