The Veteran's appeal for service connection for PTSD was dismissed due to withdrawal. The claim of service connection for sinus disability is readmitted, but the evidence does not support a finding that his current sinus condition began during service or is otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease. Service connection for tinnitus is granted as it is presumed to have been incurred in service based on noise exposure. Other claims remain pending.
The deciding factor: The Veteran withdrew his appeal of the claim of service connection for PTSD at the July 2023 Board hearing, and the evidence does not support a finding that his current sinus condition began during service or is otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease. Service connection for tinnitus is granted as it is presumed to have been incurred in service based on noise exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Sinus Disability, Tinnitus, Unspecified Depressive Disorder, Recurrent Low Back Strain, Pseudofolliculitis Barbae (PFB), Left Knee Degenerative Joint Disease (left knee disability), Right Knee Degenerative Joint Disease (right knee disability)
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 31, 2023
- Citation
- A23030334
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 A23030334.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied an initial disability rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD, finding the appellant's symptoms did not more closely approximate occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD due to an inadequate medical opinion.
- Granted
The Board granted a disability rating of 70 percent for PTSD and a total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU) based on the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for depressive disorder as secondary to hypertension and tinnitus, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an increased rating for hypertension.
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