The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection. The Board also found that the issues of left latissimus/trapezius strain, neck pain with numbness and tingling (both claimed as upper back pain associated with service-connected paralysis of the long thoracic nerve with left winged scapula), and right winged scapula were mixed - some issues granted while others denied.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's tinnitus was found to have been incurred in service due to significant noise exposure during active duty. The other claims were not fully resolved as the evidence did not support a direct link between the claimed conditions and service, but also did not rule out such a connection definitively.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, left latissimus/trapezius strain (upper back pain associated with service-connected paralysis of the long thoracic nerve with left winged scapula), neck pain with numbness and tingling (upper back pain associated with service-connected paralysis of the long thoracic nerve with left winged scapula), right winged scapula
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 14, 2010
- Citation
- 1018012
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 1018012.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for asthma and remanded claims for insomnia and sleep apnea. Other conditions were denied.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for tinnitus to correct a duty to assist error, as the Veteran's lay statements regarding onset and continuity of symptoms were not adequately considered in the previous decision.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for tinnitus, cubital tunnel syndrome, right plantar fasciitis, and a right knee disability due to the lack of evidence supporting a nexus between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.
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