The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and right ear hearing loss were denied. The Veteran was granted a 10% disability rating for tinnitus, but the Board found that this did not warrant an increased evaluation. His claims for ischemic heart disease, anxiety disorder, bilateral tinea pedis, and left ear hearing loss are pending.
The deciding factor: The Veteran does not meet the criteria for service connection of PTSD due to lack of a diagnosis by a VA psychiatrist or psychologist. The Board found that his symptoms do not meet the full criteria for PTSD as per revised regulations. For tinnitus, the Veteran's disability is already rated at its maximum under Diagnostic Code 6260.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Ear Hearing Loss, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Ischemic Heart Disease, Anxiety Disorder, Tinnitus, Bilateral Tinea Pedis with Onychomycosis of All Toes and Loss of Left Great Toenail, Left Ear Hearing Loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 22, 2015
- Citation
- 1545079
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 1545079.
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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