The Board dismissed the appeals regarding the propriety of severance of service connection for tinnitus, lumbosacral strain, and right shoulder strain as these issues were reinstated. The appeal for costochondritis was denied due to a lack of evidence linking the condition to active duty.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner's opinion did not find a causal relationship between the Veteran's current costochondritis and her military service, and there is no other evidence supporting such a connection.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, lumbosacral strain, right shoulder strain, costochondritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 26, 2025
- Citation
- A25055261
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A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot.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 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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for lumbosacral strain, finding that the Veteran's low back injury occurred during a period of active duty for training (ADT) and continued therefrom.
- 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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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.