The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, a neck disability, osteoarthritis of the right elbow (now claimed as a right arm disability), and right ear hearing loss. The Board also denied an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus and an initial compensable disability rating for left ear hearing loss.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not support the existence of a current acquired psychiatric disability, credible supporting evidence that the claimed stressor(s) occurred, or a nexus between any of the disabilities and service.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Neck disability, Osteoarthritis of the right elbow (now claimed as a right arm disability), Right ear hearing loss, Tinnitus, Left ear hearing loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 11, 2024
- Citation
- A24065393
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for PTSD, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor and finding that his PTSD is related to an in-service military sexual trauma (MST) during a period of ACDUTRA.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 20 percent rating for the Veteran's left knee strain, service connection for right ear hearing loss, and service connection for a right ankle disorder. Other claims were denied or remanded.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to in-service noise exposure.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an effective date of May 17, 2019, for a 70 percent disability rating for PTSD but denied earlier effective dates for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.
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