The veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied as the evidence did not support a higher rating or establish service connection.
The deciding factor: The evidence showed that the veteran's low back disability and tinnitus did not meet the criteria for a higher rating, and there was no basis to grant service connection for headaches secondary to his lumbosacral strain.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbosacral strain with injury to L1 and L5 with degenerative changes, headaches (secondary to lumbosacral strain), tinnitus aurium, left ear
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- May 2, 2008
- Citation
- 0814591
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.
- Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's motion to revise a March 1969 rating decision that denied service connection for tinnitus aurium, and has changed the effective date of this award from August 14, 2003 to December 15, 1968. The appeal for an earlier effective date is dismissed as moot.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for right lower extremity sciatica associated with the Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral spine strain, but remanded claims for service connection for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and sleep apnea.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his lung cancer was related to his service-connected melanoma.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for anxiety but denied it for sleep apnea, finding that the Veteran's sleep apnea was less likely than not related to his active service or service-connected acquired psychiatric condition.
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