The Veteran's right ankle condition is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability that began during service or is related to an in-service injury, event, or disease.,PTSD service connection is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination to determine if it preexisted service and was aggravated by service.,Bilateral hearing loss service connection is remanded as there are no audiometric standards used in the April 2015 VA examination, requiring conversion from ASA to ISO-ANSI standards.,Tinnitus secondary to PTSD or a service-connected disability is remanded due to its intertwining with the PTSD claim and need for a new VA examination.,Hypertension service connection is remanded as there are no audiometric readings provided in the April 2015 VA examination, requiring conversion from ASA to ISO-ANSI standards. Additionally, it needs a VA examination to determine if it is secondary to PTSD or medication for any service-connected condition.,Gastrointestinal and acid reflux conditions service connection are remanded as they are intertwined with the PTSD claim and need a new VA examination.,Vertigo service connection is remanded due to the need for a new VA examination.
The deciding factor: The preponderance of evidence does not support finding that the Veteran's current right ankle condition began during service or is related to an in-service injury, event, or disease. The absence of symptoms after service and the lack of continuity of symptomatology are key factors.,PTSD service connection requires a new VA examination to determine if it preexisted service and was aggravated by service. The Veteran's history of assault charges during service is relevant to this determination.,Bilateral hearing loss service connection requires conversion from ASA to ISO-ANSI standards due to the absence of audiometric standards in the April 2015 VA examination. Additionally, it needs a new VA examination to determine if there are any high blood pressure readings during service and whether hypertension is secondary to PTSD or medication for any service-connected condition.,Tinnitus secondary to PTSD or a service-connected disability requires a new VA examination as intertwined with the PTSD claim. The Veteran's history of alcohol abuse and stress from his wife being hospitalized may be relevant to this determination.,Hypertension service connection requires conversion from ASA to ISO-ANSI standards due to the absence of audiometric readings in the April 2015 VA examination. Additionally, it needs a new VA examination to determine if there are any high blood pressure readings during service and whether hypertension is secondary to PTSD or medication for any service-connected condition.,Gastrointestinal and acid reflux conditions service connection require a new VA examination as intertwined with the PTSD claim. The Veteran's history of alcohol abuse and stress from his wife being hospitalized may be relevant to this determination.,Vertigo service connection requires a new VA examination due to the need for an accurate medical history and understanding of the absence of symptoms after service.
- Claimed conditions
- Right ankle condition, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Bilateral hearing loss, Tinnitus, Hypertension, Gastrointestinal condition, Acid reflux, Vertigo
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 7, 2018
- Citation
- 18109168
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 18109168.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
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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