The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and remanded the claims for a skin disability, OSA, left foot, low back, right knee, left knee disabilities, evaluation of headaches, evaluation of PTSD, and entitlement to TDIU.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's tinnitus began during service and has continued to the present. The evidence supports that his skin condition may be related to medications prescribed for his service-connected PTSD, and there is a low threshold for indicating a possible nexus between the two conditions. Similarly, the Veteran's OSA might also be related to his service-connected PTSD.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, skin disability (claimed as acne), obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), left foot disability, low back disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, headache disability, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- January 3, 2024
- Citation
- 24000459
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Veteran was granted a 70 percent initial disability rating for PTSD effective December 2, 2021, but the claim for an increased rating in excess of 70 percent was denied. The appeal also included claims for service connection and ratings for various conditions, some of which were granted while others were remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for tinnitus to correct a duty to assist error, as the Veteran's lay statements regarding onset and continuity of symptoms were not adequately considered in the previous decision.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for tinnitus, cubital tunnel syndrome, right plantar fasciitis, and a right knee disability due to the lack of evidence supporting a nexus between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.
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