The Veteran's claims for right upper extremity, left upper extremity, right lower extremity, and left lower extremity diabetic neuropathy, as well as tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, are denied effective date prior to March 1, 2016.,The Veteran's claim for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with depressive disorder, NOS and alcohol abuse in partial remission is remanded due to the need to determine the date of application that led to the ABCMR’s February 2016 decision to grant his request for a change in the character of his discharge.,The Veteran's claim for chloracne with icepick scars not disabling is remanded due to the need to determine the date of application that led to the ABCMR’s February 2016 decision to grant his request for a change in the character of his discharge.,The Veteran's claim for diabetes mellitus type II is remanded due to the need to determine the date of application that led to the ABCMR’s February 2016 decision to grant his request for a change in the character of his discharge.,The Veteran's claim for Dependents' Educational Assistance prior to March 1, 2016 is remanded due to the need to determine the date of application that led to the ABCMR’s February 2016 decision to grant his request for a change in the character of his discharge.
The deciding factor: The effective dates for service connection are determined by the date of the claim or one year prior if the increase occurred more than one year prior.
- Claimed conditions
- right upper extremity diabetic neuropathy, left upper extremity diabetic neuropathy, right lower extremity diabetic neuropathy, left lower extremity diabetic neuropathy, tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 6, 2019
- Citation
- 19160646
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 19160646.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for tinnitus to correct a duty to assist error, as the Veteran's lay statements regarding onset and continuity of symptoms were not adequately considered in the previous decision.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for tinnitus, cubital tunnel syndrome, right plantar fasciitis, and a right knee disability due to the lack of evidence supporting a nexus between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of April 25, 2022, for the award of service connection for tinnitus and a 100 percent initial rating for PTSD with alcohol use disorder.
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