The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied due to the character of his discharge. The Board of Correction of Naval Records upgraded his discharge from general court martial to under honorable conditions in February 2008, which allowed him to receive VA benefits. However, an earlier effective date was not granted as it would have been based on when he filed for correction of his military records.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's claims were denied due to the character of his discharge by reason of a general court martial. The Board of Correction of Naval Records upgraded his discharge to under honorable conditions in February 2008, but an earlier effective date was not granted as it would have been based on when he filed for correction of his military records.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Post-traumatic arthritis of the left ankle, Tinnitus, Coronary artery disease, Left ear hearing loss, Hypertension, Residual scar from a shrapnel wound to the left thigh
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- August 12, 2016
- Citation
- 1632089
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1632089.
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: 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.
- Whole decision: 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.
- Whole decision: 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.
- Whole decision: 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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