Right knee osteoarthritis is granted as secondary to service-connected right ankle fracture with degenerative joint disease.,Tinnitus is granted as incurred in service.,Cervical disorder is granted as secondary to service-connected thoracolumbar strain.,Shortened right leg is granted as secondary to service-connected right ankle fracture.,Sinusitis is granted as incurred in service.
The deciding factor: The evidence shows that the Veteran's right knee osteoarthritis is related to his service-connected right ankle fracture with degenerative joint disease, and thus is considered secondary to this condition.,Tinnitus was noted by the Veteran since service, and a private physician provided an opinion linking it to in-service noise exposure. The Board finds this evidence sufficient to grant service connection for tinnitus.,The Veteran's cervical disorder is linked to his thoracolumbar strain with degenerative disc disease, which he also has as a service-connected condition. The medical opinion supports the secondary relationship between these conditions.,The shortened right leg was found to be related to the residuals of the Veteran's right ankle fracture, and this evidence satisfies the secondary service connection criteria.,Sinusitis is considered incurred in service based on the Veteran's history.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Knee Osteoarthritis, Tinnitus, Cervical Disorder, Right Leg Shortening, Sinusitis
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 18, 2018
- Citation
- 18111807
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 18111807.
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.
- 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.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for a higher rating for PTSD and dismissed his appeals regarding increased ratings for tinnitus and a right hand disability due to lack of timely filing of Notice of Disagreement.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including GAD, MDD, bruxism, migraines/headaches, tinnitus, hip pain, iliotibial band syndrome, and leg stress fractures. The evidence does not support current diagnoses of these conditions during the appeal period.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral pes planus with hammer toes, hallux valgus and degenerative arthritis, sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and bilateral kidney cysts, rendered him unable to secure or follow gainful employment. The Board granted the TDIU based on these conditions.
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