The Board granted eligibility for the direct payment of fees to the appellant from past due benefits awarded in the portion of a July 2023 rating decision assigning an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for tinnitus, but denied such eligibility for higher ratings for left knee, left shoulder, right wrist and hemorrhoid disabilities.
The deciding factor: The February 2023 rating decision was considered an initial decision on the original May 2013 increased rating claims for left knee and left shoulder disabilities as well as the January 2022 original claims of increased ratings right wrist and hemorrhoid disabilities, but the July 2023 rating decision was not.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, left knee disability, left shoulder disability, right wrist disability, hemorrhoid
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 14, 2025
- Citation
- A25024005
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
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 tinnitus to correct a duty to assist error, as the Veteran's lay statements regarding onset and continuity of symptoms were not adequately considered in the previous decision.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for tinnitus, cubital tunnel syndrome, right plantar fasciitis, and a right knee disability due to the lack of evidence supporting a nexus between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of April 25, 2022, for the award of service connection for tinnitus and a 100 percent initial rating for PTSD with alcohol use disorder.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.