The Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and panic disorder, without agoraphobia and unspecified trauma and stress-related disorder (claimed as mental disorder) have been dismissed due to the Board having no jurisdiction to adjudicate these appeals under the Appeals Modernization Act.
The deciding factor: The Veteran did not file a substantive appeal or opt-in to the pre-February 19, 2019, AMA pilot program before expiration of that program.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, panic disorder, without agoraphobia and unspecified trauma and stress-related disorder
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 29, 2020
- Citation
- A20016227
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A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot.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 remands the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder to ensure a proper examination and etiology opinion are provided.
- 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.
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