The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including tinnitus, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and anxiety disorder), a lumbar spine disorder, bilateral knee disorders, COPD and chronic bronchitis, migraine headaches, right elbow disorder, right shoulder disorder, right ear hearing loss, intermittent vertigo, intermittent hand tremors, and intermittent blackouts. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for service connection due to lack of evidence supporting the claimed stressors or a nexus between the conditions and service.
The deciding factor: The Board determined that there was insufficient evidence to support the Veteran's claims for service connection based on the lack of credible supporting evidence for the claimed in-service stressor incidents and the absence of a causal relationship between current symptoms and the claimed stressors or service-connected conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and anxiety disorder), lumbar spine disorders (spondylosis in the lumbar spine and arthritis in the knees), bilateral knee disorder, COPD and chronic bronchitis, migraine headaches, right elbow disorder, right shoulder disorder, right ear hearing loss, intermittent vertigo, intermittent hand tremors, intermittent blackouts
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 6, 2018
- Citation
- 18148028
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 18148028.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
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 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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, arthritis, and memory loss. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, and PTSD due to additional development of records and examination.
- Granted
The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The issues of foot disability and cardiovascular disorder are remanded for additional development.
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