The Board denied service connection for radiculopathy of the left and right lower extremities, tinnitus, and an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for right ankle tendonitis. The claims for service connection for a left knee disorder, right knee disorder, and headache disorder were remanded.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not show current disabilities of radiculopathy affecting the bilateral lower extremities or tinnitus related to military noise exposure, and the Veteran's right ankle tendonitis was manifested by at most moderate limitation of motion without ankylosis or other severe symptoms. The claims for secondary service connection were remanded due to insufficient evidence.
- Claimed conditions
- Radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, Radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, Tinnitus, Right ankle tendonitis, Left knee disorder (secondary to lumbar spine strain), Right knee disorder (secondary to lumbar spine strain), Headache disorder (secondary to depressive disorder)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 15, 2025
- Citation
- A25044120
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 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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted readjudication of previously denied claims for service connection for PTSD and COPD, while remanding other issues including entitlement to service connection for an eye disorder, hypertension, tinnitus, a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, TDIU, and an initial rating for PTSD.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus due to a lack of jurisdiction.
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