The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected.,High cholesterol is not considered a disability for VA compensation purposes and thus, the claim for this condition is denied.,The Board has remanded the claims for lumbar spine disability, right shoulder disability, right knee disability, right ankle disability, bilateral hearing loss, right eye disability, and heart disability to obtain medical opinions regarding their etiology.,The Veteran's PTSD remains at a 30 percent rating. The claim for an initial rating higher than 30 percent is remanded as the SOC has not yet been issued.,All other claims are remanded.
The deciding factor: Service connection was granted for tinnitus due to credible lay and medical evidence of record, including the Veteran's consistent assertion that he experienced tinnitus since service. High cholesterol was found not to be a recognized disability for VA benefits purposes.,The Board has determined that the Veteran's high cholesterol is not a recognized disability for VA compensation purposes as it is merely a laboratory finding.,The claims were remanded due to lack of medical opinions regarding the etiology of the disabilities. The Veteran was requested to attend VA examinations and obtain an opinion on his heart disability.,PTSD remains at 30 percent, which is not higher than initially assigned. The claim for an initial rating higher than 30 percent is remanded as no SOC has been issued yet.,All other claims were remanded due to the need for further medical evaluation and opinion.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, high cholesterol, lumbar spine disability, right shoulder disability, right knee disability, right ankle disability, bilateral hearing loss, right eye disability, heart disability, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 29, 2024
- Citation
- 24010025
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 24010025.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's right shoulder disability and migraines/chronic headaches are remanded for additional development due to insufficient opinions on the etiology of her conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess his bilateral knee and hip disabilities.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
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