The Veteran's service connection for tinnitus was granted, while all other claims for service connection were denied.
The deciding factor: The evidence supported a direct link between the Veteran's in-service noise exposure and his current tinnitus, but not for any of the other claimed conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, left lower extremity nerve disability, right lower extremity nerve disability, right thumb disability, obstructive sleep apnea, gastroesophageal reflux disease, left upper extremity nerve disability, right upper extremity nerve disability, irritable bowel syndrome, posttraumatic stress disorder, left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, pulmonary disability, allergic rhinitis, sinusitis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- March 26, 2025
- Citation
- A25028353
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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
- Denied
The Board denied increased ratings for the Veteran's lumbar spine pain, allergic rhinitis, and recurrent yeast infections. The claims for service connection for generalized anxiety disorder with alcohol use disorder and left knee pain were remanded.
- 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.
- 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.
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