The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a bilateral eye disability has been withdrawn and is dismissed.,Service connection granted for tinnitus, with the condition onset in service.,Service connection denied for left knee strain as it did not onset in service and is not causally related to his service.,Remanded for further examination and opinion regarding obstructive sleep apnea.,Remanded for further examination and opinion regarding an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and unspecified anxiety disorder).,Remanded for further examination and opinion regarding a bilateral hearing loss disability.,Remanded for further examination and opinion regarding a lumbar spine disability.,Remanded for new VA examination to assess the nature and severity of functional diarrhea since January 2016.,Remanded for new VA examination to evaluate the nature and severity of residuals of left shoulder dislocation.
The deciding factor: The Veteran withdrew his appeal on the issue of entitlement to service connection for a bilateral eye disability, leaving no questions remaining for consideration by the Board.,Service connection is granted as tinnitus onset in service and there is no evidence against it.,Left knee strain did not onset in service and is not causally related to service. The Veteran's testimony regarding symptoms since service is considered credible but his competence to diagnose a condition outside of service is questioned.,Obstructive sleep apnea may have onset in service or be related to other factors, including obesity, which should be evaluated further.,An acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and unspecified anxiety disorder) may have onset in service or be related to other factors, including mental health treatment since 2017, which should be evaluated further.,Bilateral hearing loss disability is shown but the relationship to service needs to be clarified. The Veteran's statements regarding exposure to loud noise in service are considered credible.,Lumbar spine strain may have onset in service or be related to other factors, including injury during deployment, which should be evaluated further.,Functional diarrhea has worsened since January 2016 and needs a new VA examination to assess its current severity.,Residuals of left shoulder dislocation need a new VA examination to evaluate the nature and severity of the condition.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral eye disability, tinnitus, left knee strain, obstructive sleep apnea, acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and unspecified anxiety disorder), bilateral hearing loss disability, lumbar spine disability, functional diarrhea, residuals of left shoulder dislocation
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 10, 2021
- Citation
- 21028170
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 21028170.
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that there is no competent evidence to support a finding that his current condition began in or as a result of 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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