The Veteran's appeal for service connection on all issues except PTSD was dismissed. The Board found that the Veteran had been diagnosed with PTSD and supported by medical and lay evidence, thus granting service connection for PTSD.
The deciding factor: The Veteran’s reports of in-service personal assault were supported by medical and lay evidence, including statements from a buddy who served with him and corroborated his account of incidents. The VA physician also diagnosed the Veteran with PTSD based on these events.
- Claimed conditions
- hearing loss, brain disease due to trauma, lumbosacral or cervical strain, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), an acquired psychiatric disorder to include posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 17, 2019
- Citation
- 19171924
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 19171924.
What this means for you
A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot. It says more about procedure than about whether a claim like this can win.
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.
- Granted
The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus. However, it was determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability of bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus for VA purposes, thus denying both claims.
- Denied
The Veteran's respiratory disability, including asthma and COPD, is denied as service connection is not warranted due to the condition being solely attributed to smoking.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for right foot disability status post Mitchell's bunionectomy is granted with an effective date of July 25, 2023.,The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for left foot disability status post Mitchell's bunionectomy is dismissed as it does not meet the criteria for an earlier effective date.
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