The appeal for an increased rating for tinnitus is dismissed, and the claims for service connection for fatigue, a neck strain, trigger finger, left flatfoot, right flatfoot, and bilateral shoulder conditions are denied. The claims for service connection for foot and toe conditions are remanded.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not support current diagnoses of the claimed conditions or a relationship to service or a service-connected disability.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, fatigue, neck strain, trigger finger, left flatfoot, right flatfoot, right foot arthritis, bilateral plantar fasciitis with calcaneal spurs, left foot hammertoes, right foot hammertoes, left shoulder sprain, right shoulder acromioclavicular joint osteoarthritis with tendinitis and rotator cuff tendonitis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 13, 2025
- Citation
- A25052119
What this means for you
A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot. It says more about procedure than about whether a claim like this can win.
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 a medical examination to determine if the Veteran's current neck strain is related to his in-service activities.
- 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.
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