The Veteran's tinnitus is currently rated at 10 percent and no higher, as it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,Service connection has been granted for major depressive disorder secondary to service-connected PTSD.,Joint pain (bilateral knee osteoarthritis), neck disorder (cervical spine arthritis), and back disorder (lumbar spine arthritis) have not met the criteria for service connection as they are not shown to be related to service or within one year of separation from service.,Left ankle disorder, vision disorder (refractive error of the eye), bilateral hearing loss, shortness of breath, and sleep disorder have not been established as service-connected due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.,Heart disorder has not met the criteria for service connection.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's tinnitus is already at its maximum schedular rating (10 percent), so no higher rating can be granted.,Major depressive disorder secondary to PTSD was established as a result of VA treatment records showing symptoms attributed to both conditions.,There is insufficient evidence linking the current knee, neck, and back disorders to service. The Veteran's service records do not show any in-service disease or injury involving these areas, nor are there lay statements of continuity of symptomatology since service.,Bilateral hearing loss, shortness of breath, and sleep disorder have no established link to service based on the evidence provided.,Heart disorder has not been shown to be related to service.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, major depressive disorder, joint pain (bilateral knee osteoarthritis), neck disorder (cervical spine arthritis), back disorder (lumbar spine arthritis), left ankle disorder, vision disorder (refractive error of the eye), bilateral hearing loss, shortness of breath, sleep disorder, heart disorder
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 31, 2018
- Citation
- 18131164
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 18131164.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for specially-adapted housing assistance and a special home adaptation grant was denied because he does not meet the criteria for either benefit based on his service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
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