The Board granted service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder and tinnitus, while denying service connection for various other disabilities including the right ankle, left ankle, right shoulder, left shoulder, right knee, left knee, heart, respiratory, kidney, venous thrombosis, urinary hesitancy, acute metabolic encephalopathy, hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea, sleep disturbance, abdominal distension, atherosclerotic peripheral vascular disease, neurological disability, chronic fatigue syndrome, erectile dysfunction, stroke, skin disability, fibromyalgia, bilateral foot pain, hammer toes, tinea pedis, meningitis, GERD, traumatic brain injury, and irritable bowel syndrome. The Board also remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss and a back disability.
The deciding factor: The evidence supported service connection for PTSD and tinnitus based on in-service events, while other conditions were not shown to have onset during or be related to active duty service.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Tinnitus, Right ankle disability, Left ankle disability, Right shoulder disability, Left shoulder disability, Right knee disability, Left knee disability, Heart disability, to include myocardial infarction, heart failure, cardiomyopathy and atrial flutter, Respiratory disability, to include pulmonary embolism, sinusitis, pulmonary fibrosis, interstitial lung disease, emphysema, bronchitis, rhinitis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), Kidney disability, Venous thrombosis, right lower extremity, Venous thrombosis, left lower extremity, Urinary hesitancy, Acute metabolic encephalopathy, Hypertension, Obstructive sleep apnea, Sleep disturbance, Abdominal distension, Atherosclerotic peripheral vascular disease, Neurological disability, Chronic fatigue syndrome, Erectile dysfunction, Stroke, Skin disability, Fibromyalgia, Bilateral foot pain, Hammer toes, right foot, Hammer toes, left foot, Tinea pedis, Meningitis, Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Traumatic brain injury, Irritable bowel syndrome, Vitamin B deficiency, Alcohol abuse
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 25, 2025
- Citation
- A25038233
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for asthma and remanded claims for insomnia and sleep apnea. Other conditions were denied.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for chronic headaches, CFS, dermatosis, bilateral RLS, a lumbar spine disability, and sleep apnea but denied a compensable evaluation for allergic rhinitis.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including bilateral hearing loss and various musculoskeletal issues, as well as an initial rating in excess of 0 percent for rhinitis. However, the Board granted a 70 percent rating for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for right and left shoulder disabilities, as the evidence did not support a higher rating under applicable criteria.
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