The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to service, while her back disability and acquired psychiatric disorder are not. The claims for sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, migraines (secondary), and gastroesophageal or gastrointestinal disorders are remanded.,Service connection for a back disability is denied due to lack of credible evidence linking the condition to service. Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and secondary service connection for migraines and gastroesophageal or gastrointestinal disorders are also remanded.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's tinnitus was found to be related to her military service based on her consistent reports of its onset during service, the presence of ear injuries noted in service records, and the lack of evidence of acoustic trauma. The back disability and acquired psychiatric disorder were not linked to service due to inconsistencies in the Veteran's statements regarding their onset.,Service connection for a back disability is denied because there is no credible evidence linking it to service. Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and secondary service connection for migraines and gastroesophageal or gastrointestinal disorders are also remanded as there is insufficient evidence to establish a link between these conditions and service.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, back disability, sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, acquired psychiatric disorder (including anxiety, depression, and insomnia), migraines, gastroesophageal or gastrointestinal disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 27, 2019
- Citation
- 19175263
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 19175263.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for migraines was reopened due to new evidence. Service connection is granted for painful scars, but the rating assigned remains at 10 percent. The claims for fibromyalgia and bilateral shoulder disability are denied.
- 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.
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