The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and diffuse muscle and joint pain, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are related to his military service. The claim for PTSD is reopened due to new evidence submitted since the last denial. Service connection for cold weather injury to the hands, fingers, legs, toes and feet is denied as there is no current diagnosis of such condition.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner provided a nexus between the Veteran's diffuse muscle pain and his service-connected meningitis, establishing secondary service connection. The Board found credible the Veteran's reports of tinnitus during service and since then, granting service connection for this disability. Service connection was denied for cold weather injury to the hands, fingers, legs, toes and feet as there is no current diagnosis.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), tinnitus, diffuse muscle and joint pain, eye disorder, cold weather injury to the hands, fingers, legs, toes and feet
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 4, 2015
- Citation
- 1509458
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 1509458.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted as the evidence shows a current diagnosis of PTSD, an in-service stressor, and a medical link between the two.
- Denied
The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50% since March 23, 2004. The Board found that a higher rating is not warranted prior to February 15, 2005 due to the severity of his symptoms and their impact on his social and occupational functioning.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and any acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his current mental health conditions and his military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
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