The appeals to reopen claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and left knee disability are dismissed. The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is reopened, but the Veteran's tinnitus and headaches remain in dispute.
The deciding factor: The Board found that new evidence had been received which raised a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD).
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Left Knee Disability, Acquired Psychiatric Disorder (PTSD), Tinnitus, Headaches, to include as an undiagnosed illness related to service in Southwest Asia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 20, 2022
- Citation
- 22059041
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 22059041.
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A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot.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.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected knee disabilities are rated at 10% each, and the Board finds that higher ratings are not warranted based on the evidence of record.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.
- Denied
The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities are not related to his active service, and thus denied both claims for service connection.
- Granted
The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected. The claims for alcohol abuse and psychiatric disorder are remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.
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