Service connection for right ear disability (tinnitus) is granted. Service connection for skin disability (boil on right buttock), left leg lymphedema, right leg lymphedema, congestive heart failure, sleep apnea, enlarged aorta, and enlarged thyroid are remanded.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's tinnitus was related to in-service noise exposure from small arms fire and service in Operations DESERT SHIELD and DESERT STORM. The Board found the Veteran's claimed symptoms of hearing 'clicking' as tantamount to a current disability of right ear tinnitus, which is supported by his competent statements.
- Claimed conditions
- Right ear disability (tinnitus), Skin disability (boil on right buttock), Left leg lymphedema, Right leg lymphedema, Congestive heart failure, Sleep apnea, Enlarged aorta, Enlarged thyroid
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- October 3, 2024
- Citation
- A24063146
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 831 · Granted: 48% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation A24063146.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for sleep apnea and acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD) due to insufficient evidence of record. The Veteran is required to undergo VA examinations to determine if his conditions are related to service.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral pes planus with hammer toes, hallux valgus and degenerative arthritis, sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and bilateral kidney cysts, rendered him unable to secure or follow gainful employment. The Board granted the TDIU based on these conditions.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for heart condition was granted with an effective date of August 1, 2019. The decision is based on evidence showing exposure to diesel and gas fuel during service.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the claims for psychiatric disability and sleep apnea.,Service connection was granted for right lower extremity radiculopathy and left lower extremity radiculopathy secondary to a service-connected back disability, but denied for right wrist disability.
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