The Veteran's tinnitus and left shoulder strain claims are granted. The increased rating for the left shoulder strain claim is denied, but the service connection claims for diastasis recti, umbilical hernia, sleep disorder (including insomnia and loss of sleep), and posttraumatic stress disorder are remanded.
The deciding factor: The decision addresses multiple issues including tinnitus, left shoulder strain, and various other conditions. The rating for the left shoulder strain is denied as there is no evidence of functional limitation warranting a higher rating. Service connection claims for diastasis recti, umbilical hernia, sleep disorder (including insomnia and loss of sleep), and posttraumatic stress disorder are remanded due to procedural issues.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, left shoulder strain, diastasis recti, umbilical hernia, sleep disorder (including insomnia and loss of sleep), posttraumatic stress disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 4, 2018
- Citation
- 18154902
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 18154902.
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The issues of foot disability and cardiovascular disorder are remanded for additional development.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran experienced tinnitus during his active duty service.
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