The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for tinnitus is denied as the maximum schedular rating has been assigned.,The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of tinnitus is denied because no communication prior to August 26, 2011 indicated entitlement to this benefit.,The petition to reopen a previously denied claim for service connection for a lumbar spine condition is denied as the submitted evidence does not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim.,Service connection for left foot and right foot conditions is denied due to lack of evidence showing these conditions began during active service or are related to in-service injuries.,Service connection for myocardial infarctions, claimed as two heart attacks, secondary to PTSD, is denied because there is no evidence of such events occurring during the pendency of the claim.,The Veteran's right and left foot conditions are not considered service-connected due to lack of medical evidence supporting their onset or relationship to military service.
The deciding factor: The maximum schedular rating for tinnitus has already been assigned, making any further increase in rating impossible under current criteria.,No communication prior to August 26, 2011 indicated entitlement to an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for tinnitus.,The submitted evidence does not provide new and material information that would allow for reopening the previously denied claim for a lumbar spine condition.,There is no medical evidence showing the Veteran's left or right foot conditions began during active service or are related to in-service injuries.,No evidence of myocardial infarctions has been provided, nor is there any indication they are secondary to PTSD.,The submitted medical evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran's bilateral foot conditions were incurred during military service.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, left foot drop, right foot drop
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 3, 2019
- Citation
- 19167861
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 19167861.
What this means for you
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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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete development of records and will provide a supplemental statement of the case if necessary.
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