The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder, histoplasmosis and its residuals, hearing loss disability, tinnitus, and lumbar back strain with degenerative disc disease. The RO granted a 40 percent evaluation for the lumbar condition effective April 12, 1995.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not establish service connection for post-traumatic stress disorder, histoplasmosis and its residuals, hearing loss disability, or tinnitus. For the lumbar condition, the evidence showed severe functional impairment due to pain but no more than severe disability with recurring attacks, intermittent relief, or pronounced disability.
- Claimed conditions
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Histoplasmosis and its residuals, Hearing Loss Disability, Tinnitus, Lumbar Back Strain and Degenerative Disc Disease of the Lumbar Spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- January 11, 2000
- Citation
- 0000854
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 0000854.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for depressive disorder as secondary to hypertension and tinnitus, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an increased rating for hypertension.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, but remanded the claim for degenerative disc disease with degenerative arthritis.
- Partly granted
The Board granted readjudication of previously denied claims for service connection for PTSD and COPD, while remanding other issues including entitlement to service connection for an eye disorder, hypertension, tinnitus, a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, TDIU, and an initial rating for PTSD.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to in-service noise exposure.
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