The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection and rated at 10%.,The Veteran's hypertension is granted service connection on secondary basis and rated at 10%.,The Veteran’s degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine with myofascial pain syndrome of the thoracic spine is granted a rating of 40% prior to May 24, 2019 and thereafter.,The Veteran's chronic neck strain is granted a rating of 20%.,The Veteran’s left lower extremity radiculopathy is granted a rating of 20%.,The Veteran’s right lower extremity radiculopathy is granted a rating of 20%.,The Veteran’s left leg shin splints are denied.,The Veteran’s right leg shin splints are denied.
The deciding factor: Service connection for tinnitus was granted as the evidence showed it was at least as likely as not related to service due to in-service noise exposure and continuity of symptoms since separation from service.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, hypertension, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine with myofascial pain syndrome of the thoracic spine, chronic neck strain, left lower extremity radiculopathy, right lower extremity radiculopathy, left leg shin splints, right leg shin splints
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- November 17, 2020
- Citation
- 20073625
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,037 · Granted: 21% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 20073625.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
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 hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- 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.
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