The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no current disability meeting VA criteria.,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus is denied as the maximum schedular rating has been assigned.,The Veteran's claims for PTSD, lumbar spine disability, right lower extremity radiculopathy, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome (right knee disability), left ankle sprain, and ingrown right great toenail are remanded due to insufficient evidence of a current disability or service connection.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disorder is also remanded as the opinion provided by the VA examiner was inadequate.
The deciding factor: There is no current bilateral hearing loss disability meeting VA criteria, and the Veteran has not presented evidence of a current disability or service connection.,The maximum schedular rating (10 percent) for tinnitus has been assigned due to the absence of proof of a present disability.,Insufficient evidence was provided regarding the presence of a current disability or service connection for PTSD, lumbar spine disability, right lower extremity radiculopathy, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome (right knee disability), left ankle sprain, and ingrown right great toenail. The Veteran's claim for service connection for a left knee disorder is also remanded due to inadequate evidence.,The VA examiner provided an opinion regarding the Veteran's claimed left knee disorder but failed to consider his lay statements concerning the onset and continuity of his symptoms.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Tinnitus, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Lumbosacral Strain with Degenerative Joint Disease (lumbar spine disability), Radiculopathy, Right Lower Extremity, Right Knee Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (right knee disability), Left Ankle Sprain, Ingrown Right Great Toenail, Left Knee Disorder (claimed)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 3, 2024
- Citation
- 24006070
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 24006070.
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 Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted as the evidence shows a current diagnosis of PTSD, an in-service stressor, and a medical link between the two.
- Denied
The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50% since March 23, 2004. The Board found that a higher rating is not warranted prior to February 15, 2005 due to the severity of his symptoms and their impact on his social and occupational functioning.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and any acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his current mental health conditions and his military service.
- 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.
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