The Veteran's PTSD claim was denied, but he received a grant for his left foot injury. The claims of service connection for neck disability, left eye disability, and bilateral hearing loss were not addressed as they are not service-connected. Service connection was granted for ED secondary to PTSD and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), hiatal hernia, and irritable bowel secondary to PTSD.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's left eye disability is a congenital defect that did not result from military service or any superimposed injury during service. The hearing loss claim must be denied by operation of law as it does not meet the statutory criteria for VA compensation purposes. Tinnitus was not shown to have been incurred in service.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Left Foot Injury, Neck Disability, Left Eye Disability, Erectile Dysfunction (ED), Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), Hiatal Hernia, and Irritable Bowel, Bilateral Hearing Loss, Tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- May 11, 2015
- Citation
- 1520152
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 1520152.
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 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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.
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