The Veteran's tinnitus claim is denied as it was received more than a year after discharge. The rectum sphincter control disability, GERD, and PTSD claims are granted with increased ratings. The hemorrhoids claim is denied. The right wrist and left wrist disabilities, and headaches claims are remanded.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's tinnitus claim was not received within one year of discharge, thus no effective date prior to April 23, 2015 can be granted. For the rectum sphincter control disability, a 30 percent rating is granted from August 31, 2018 forward. The GERD and PTSD claims are granted with increased ratings. The hemorrhoids claim is denied as there was no evidence of compensable symptoms.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, rectum sphincter control disability, GERD (gastroesophageal reflux), hemorrhoids, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) previously rated as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), right wrist disability, left wrist disability, headaches
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- December 6, 2018
- Citation
- 18156021
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 18156021.
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.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's headaches are at least as likely as not caused by his service-connected traumatic brain injury, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
- 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.
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