Service connection for tinnitus is granted.,Service connection for gout and onychocryptosis of the left great toe are reopened, but service connection remains denied due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service or service-connected disabilities.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no current disability meeting VA compensation criteria.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including anxiety and PTSD) is denied because the Veteran does not have a diagnosed psychiatric condition.,Service connection for sleep disturbances (including sleep apnea) is denied due to attribution of symptoms to obstructive sleep apnea, which was not incurred in or caused by service.,Service connection for painful joints, other than gout and a neck disability, is denied as the Veteran has not identified specific joints for which he seeks service connection.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found that the Veteran's tinnitus began during service due to noise exposure, and it is at least as likely as not caused by in-service events.,New evidence received since previous decisions relates to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claims for gout and onychocryptosis of the left great toe. The new evidence does not establish a link between these conditions and service or service-connected disabilities.,The Veteran's hearing loss disability is not currently present, as audiometric testing did not show a diagnosis meeting VA compensation criteria.,Service treatment records do not show any diagnosed psychiatric condition, and the Veteran has not provided credible evidence of current symptoms of an acquired psychiatric disorder (including anxiety and PTSD).,Obstructive sleep apnea was attributed to service, but it is not considered a disability for VA compensation purposes. The Veteran's claimed sleep disturbances are therefore denied.,The Veteran did not provide specific information about which joints he seeks service connection for.
- Claimed conditions
- gout, onychocryptosis of the left great toe, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, acquired psychiatric disorder (including anxiety and PTSD), sleep disturbances (including sleep apnea), painful joints, other than gout and a neck disability
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 27, 2024
- Citation
- 24012970
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 24012970.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
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.
- 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.
- 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.
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