The Board denied a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD and granted service connection for bilateral tinnitus, cervical spine disability, but denied service connection for left upper extremity radiculopathy, bilateral hearing loss, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), fibromyalgia, and gastrointestinal condition.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's symptoms did not meet the criteria for a higher rating for PTSD due to insufficient evidence of total occupational and social impairment. However, tinnitus was granted as it began within one year after service with conceded hazardous noise exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Bilateral tinnitus, Cervical spine disability, Left upper extremity radiculopathy, Bilateral hearing loss, Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), Fibromyalgia, Gastrointestinal condition, to include functional abdominal pain syndrome and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- November 19, 2025
- Citation
- A25100712
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 878 · Granted: 46% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation A25100712.
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 Veteran's claim for a low back disorder was reopened, and his claims for increased ratings of bilateral knee instability were granted. His hearing loss claim was denied.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) at the (o) rate and SMC at the (r)(2) rate, effective January 19, 2025. The decision finds that the Veteran's service-connected conditions warrant these awards due to his need for aid and attendance.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected cervical spine disability is rated at 20 percent, the maximum rating available under the General Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine. The evidence does not support a higher rating as his range of motion did not meet the criteria for an increased rating.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeals of the initial ratings for his service-connected chronic cough and bilateral hearing loss are remanded due to procedural errors in the evidentiary record.
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