The Veteran's claim for major depressive disorder is dismissed as the RO granted service connection for a persistent depressive disorder with anxious distress and an insomnia disorder.,The Veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome is denied. The evidence does not show limitation of flexion to 30 degrees or more, which would warrant a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 5260.,The Veteran's claim for tinnitus is granted as the evidence supports that his tinnitus had its onset in service.,The Veteran's claim for bilateral plantar fasciitis (claimed as 'flat feet') is denied. The VA examiner found no clear and specific etiology of the condition, attributing it to a prolonged period without complaint after service.,The Veteran's claims for left shoulder condition, left knee condition, bilateral ankle condition, and left hip condition are all denied. No evidence supports their onset or relationship to service.,The Veteran's claim for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is remanded.,The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine, right shoulder impingement syndrome, and right hip condition are all remanded.,The Veteran's claims for a hiatal hernia and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) are both remanded.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not show limitation of flexion to 30 degrees or more, which would warrant a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 5260.,The VA examiner found no clear and specific etiology of the condition, attributing it to a prolonged period without complaint after service.,There is conflicting medical opinion regarding whether the Veteran's tinnitus was caused by noise exposure in service. The Board resolves all doubt in favor of the Veteran.,No evidence supports the onset or relationship of these conditions to service.
- Claimed conditions
- major depressive disorder, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, tinnitus, bilateral plantar fasciitis (claimed as 'flat feet'), left shoulder condition, left knee condition, bilateral ankle condition, left hip condition
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 11, 2023
- Citation
- A23027973
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 A23027973.
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 claim for specially-adapted housing assistance and a special home adaptation grant was denied because he does not meet the criteria for either benefit based on his service-connected disabilities.
- 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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, is being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding his alleged stressors.
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