The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, migraine headaches, sleep apnea, psychiatric disability, and multiple musculoskeletal and neurological conditions. The Board also denied an increased rating for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability.
The deciding factor: The evidence of record did not support a finding that any of the claimed conditions were related to the Veteran's active service or otherwise incurred as a result of his military service, including noise exposure during service.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, migraine headaches, sleep apnea, psychiatric disability (depression, anxiety, adjustment disorder), left knee disability, right knee disability, left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, bilateral pes planus, left upper extremity neuropathy, right upper extremity neuropathy, left lower extremity neuropathy, right lower extremity neuropathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 13, 2025
- Citation
- A25052249
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder to ensure a proper examination and etiology opinion are provided.
- Granted
The Veteran's migraine headaches were granted a 50 percent disability rating, effective August 8, 2023, due to very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks that are productive of severe economic inadaptability.
- 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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