The Board denied earlier effective dates for service connection and ratings of erectile dysfunction, tinnitus, and PTSD, as well as higher ratings for tinnitus, migraine headaches, and PTSD with TBI. The Board also denied service connection for sleep apnea and ADHD, and remanded the matter of entitlement to a TDIU.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not support an earlier effective date or higher rating due to the lack of factual ascertainability of increased severity within one year prior to the claim, and the current ratings were appropriate based on the Veteran's symptoms.
- Claimed conditions
- erectile dysfunction, tinnitus, PTSD, migraine headaches, sleep apnea, ADHD
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- March 13, 2025
- Citation
- A25023645
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder to ensure a proper examination and etiology opinion are provided.
- Granted
The Veteran's migraine headaches were granted a 50 percent disability rating, effective August 8, 2023, due to very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks that are productive of severe economic inadaptability.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including prostate cancer and related disabilities, urinary incontinence, sleep apnea, hypertension, varicose veins, lumbar spine disability, hip arthritis, shoulder arthritis, ankle arthritis, knee strain, knee replacement, and hand arthritis. The only condition granted was a 10 percent rating for a fracture of the right proximal first metacarpal.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for PTSD, generalized anxiety disorder, and somatic symptom disorder, as well as presumptive service connection for basal cell carcinoma under the PACT Act. Service connection was denied for chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, right restless leg syndrome, left restless leg syndrome, an increased rating for psychiatric disorder, bilateral hearing loss, a left forehead surgical scar, and allergic rhinitis.
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