The Veteran's appeals regarding his initial rating for adjustment disorder, reopening of previously denied claims for bilateral hearing loss and knee disabilities, and service connection for tinnitus were all denied due to various procedural issues and lack of new evidence.
The deciding factor: The appeal was not timely filed as the August 2010 submission did not constitute a proper Substantive Appeal. The January 1993 rating decision denying bilateral hearing loss and knee disabilities became final as no new and material evidence was submitted within the appeal period.
- Claimed conditions
- Adjustment Disorder, Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- April 28, 2014
- Citation
- 1418592
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1418592.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of rationale in the VA examiner's opinion and an inconsistency between the examination report and nexus opinion.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for adjustment disorder and hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of in-service onset or relationship to military service.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's irritable bowel syndrome is granted a rating of 30 percent, the maximum schedular rating under Diagnostic Code 7319. Service connection for migraine headaches as secondary to service connected tinnitus and PTSD is also granted.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's service-connected adjustment disorder was not manifested by occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas or total occupational and social impairment at any point during the appeal period. The criteria for entitlement to an initial rating higher than 50 percent for service-connected adjustment disorder have not been met.
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