The claim for service connection for residuals of rocket fragment to the left side of his head has been reopened due to new and material evidence. The effective date is not earlier than August 13, 2012.,Service connection for tinnitus was granted with an effective date of August 13, 2012. An increased rating in excess of 10 percent is denied.,Coronary artery disease (CAD) due to herbicide exposure has been granted. Service connection for hypertension (HTN) and other conditions have not yet been resolved.,Service connection for chronic headaches, bilateral hearing loss, lumbar spine arthritis, bilateral knee arthritis, and bilateral elbow arthritis remains pending.,Total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities is also pending.
The deciding factor: New evidence has raised a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim for residuals of rocket fragment to the left side of his head. The effective date cannot be earlier than August 13, 2012.,The Veteran did not file an informal or formal claim before August 13, 2012, and thus no effective date prior to that date is warranted for tinnitus.,There is no legal basis to grant a higher rating for tinnitus as the maximum schedular rating of 10 percent already applies. Service connection for headaches secondary to tinnitus will be addressed separately.,Service connection for CAD due to herbicide exposure has been granted based on presumptive criteria, while other conditions remain pending without evidence of service connection.,The Veteran's claims for chronic headaches, bilateral hearing loss, lumbar spine arthritis, bilateral knee arthritis, and bilateral elbow arthritis are still under review.
- Claimed conditions
- residuals of rocket fragment to the left side of his head, tinnitus, coronary artery disease (CAD), hypertension (HTN), chronic headaches, bilateral hearing loss, lumbar spine arthritis, bilateral knee arthritis, bilateral elbow arthritis, bilateral hand arthritis
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 15, 2022
- Citation
- 22014777
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 22014777.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
- 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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