The Board denied service connection for sinusitis and denied increased ratings for tinnitus, rhinitis, left knee strain with meniscal tear, arthritis, and shin splints, status post patellar dislocation / tendon rupture surgery, left knee scars, and PTSD with alcohol use disorder and traumatic brain injury.
The deciding factor: The evidence of record did not support a finding that the Veteran had a chronic sinusitis disability or that his other disabilities warranted higher ratings based on the criteria set forth in the Schedule for Rating Disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- Sinusitis, Tinnitus, Rhinitis, Left Knee Strain with Meniscal Tear, Arthritis, and Shin Splints, Status Post Patellar Dislocation / Tendon Rupture Surgery, Left Knee Scars, Scars, Left Elbow and Left Knee (Painful), Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) with Alcohol Use Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 8, 2025
- Citation
- A25058332
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.
- 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.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus due to a lack of jurisdiction.
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.