The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include depression and anxiety, but granted service connection for headaches. The Board also denied increased ratings for a left shoulder disorder and tinnitus.
The deciding factor: The evidence was not sufficient to establish service connection for the Veteran's claimed psychiatric disorders, but it supported a grant of service connection for his headaches due to their direct relationship with in-service noise exposure that led to tinnitus. The Board found no basis for increased ratings as the current ratings accurately reflected the severity of the disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- Acquired psychiatric disorder, to include depression and anxiety, Headaches, Left shoulder disorder, Tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 24, 2025
- Citation
- A25054237
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.
- 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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding a causal relationship between the condition and an in-service incident of military sexual trauma (MST).
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.