The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's low back disability, residuals of TBI, and benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPV), but denied service connection for hepatitis C. The effective date for the grant of service connection for tinnitus is October 31, 2009.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found that the Veteran's current low back disability was less likely as not related to his period of active duty service due to lack of documentation in service records and conflicting medical opinions. The residuals of TBI claim was denied because there is no evidence of a current disability or persistent symptoms, and the vertigo claim was denied based on conflicting medical opinions regarding its onset.
- Claimed conditions
- Hepatitis C, Residuals of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPV) - claimed as a peripheral vestibular disorder, Low Back Disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- February 1, 2018
- Citation
- 1806396
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 1806396.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his low back, left knee, and right knee disabilities due to inadequate VA examinations. The AOJ is instructed to obtain private treatment records from Mays & Schnapp Pain Management and schedule the Veteran for additional medical examinations.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining records from the Lancaster Vet Center and private mental health professionals.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's low back disability, including diagnosed degenerative arthritis with DDD other than intervertebral disc syndrome and spinal stenosis status post L3, L4, and L5 laminectomy. The decision is based on the Veteran's in-service injury and his ongoing symptoms since then.
- Denied
The Board denied a compensable initial rating for Hepatitis C, finding that the Veteran's condition was asymptomatic and did not meet the criteria for any higher rating.
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