The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, except for obstructive sleep apnea which was granted, and granted a total disability rating for compensation purposes due to individual unemployability (TDIU).
The deciding factor: The persuasive weight of the evidence did not support a finding of a nexus between the claimed conditions and active duty service or that the veteran's symptoms warranted higher ratings.
- Claimed conditions
- Atrial fibrillation/heart condition, Diabetes mellitus, Hypertension, Erectile dysfunction, Obstructive sleep apnea, Adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, Bilateral hearing loss, Left shoulder strain, Right shoulder acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis and strain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 12, 2025
- Citation
- A25051899
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, as there was no evidence of a current disability in the right ear and insufficient evidence to establish a nexus between the left ear hearing loss and service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus type II and hypertension, to include as secondary to left orchiectomy, for further development in accordance with the PACT Act.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the matter for a medical clarification regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected epilepsy has aggravated his bilateral hearing loss.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss to obtain an addendum opinion addressing the Veteran's lay statements regarding in-service acoustic trauma and a rocket blast injury.
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