The Veteran's appeal to establish increased ratings for right hip strain is dismissed. The claim of service connection for bruxism, secondary to temporomandibular joint dysfunction, is granted. The appeals regarding the initial disability rating for bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis and right elbow strain are remanded due to need for updated VA examinations. The appeal for service connection for PTSD is also remanded due to need for corroborating evidence of a stressor event.
The deciding factor: The Veteran withdrew his appeal for increased ratings for right hip strain, and the claim for bruxism was granted as secondary to temporomandibular joint dysfunction. The appeals regarding bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis and right elbow strain require updated VA examinations due to potential increase in severity since previous evaluations. The appeal for PTSD requires corroborating evidence of a stressor event.
- Claimed conditions
- bruxism, bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis, right elbow strain, PTSD, low back disability, cervical spine disability, pericarditis, hemorrhoids
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 1, 2022
- Citation
- 22043461
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 22043461.
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 Board of Veterans' Appeals has granted service connection for PTSD and Mood Disorders, both presumed conditions under the PACT Act.
- Partly granted
The Board has not made a final determination on the claims of service connection for inguinal hernia, PTSD, joint pain, fibromyalgia, left knee disability, right knee disability, tinnitus, chronic fatigue syndrome, respiratory disability, sleep disorder, IBS, and headaches. The claims are remanded to obtain additional evidence and determine if these conditions are related to service.
- Denied
The Board denied the claims of service connection for cervical spine and skin rash disabilities, finding that there is no evidence linking these conditions to active military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim of service connection for PTSD was granted with an initial evaluation of 50 percent, effective September 24, 2007. The appeal regarding the heart condition and sleep disorder is denied. The Veteran's hearing loss prior to August 24, 2015, warrants a 20 percent rating.
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