The Board denied service connection for sinusitis, chronic cough syndrome, left and right ankle disabilities, right shoulder disability, bilateral plantar fasciitis, earlier effective dates for PTSD and non-painful right index finger scar, and a higher rating for painful right index finger scar. However, the Veteran was granted an initial 50 percent rating for service-connected PTSD.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not support a finding of service connection for the claimed conditions due to lack of medical evidence linking them to active service or a presumptive condition under the PACT Act. The grant of a 50% rating was based on the severity, frequency, and duration of the Veteran's psychiatric symptoms.
- Claimed conditions
- Sinusitis, Chronic cough syndrome, Left ankle disability, Right ankle disability, Right shoulder disability, Bilateral plantar fasciitis, Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Non-painful right index finger scar, Painful right index finger scar
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- 50%
- Decision date
- November 20, 2025
- Citation
- A25101315
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,592 · Granted: 19% (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 A25101315.
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 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 claim for an earlier effective date of January 10, 1997, for a 10% disability rating for his right ankle disability is denied as there was no CUE in the previous decisions.
- Granted
The Board has granted the appellant's claim for service connection for left ankle disability residuals, finding that his current condition is due to an in-service injury and granting the benefit of the doubt.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has identified a contradiction in the AOJ's determinations regarding the Veteran's need for aid and assistance, which requires clarification. The remanded issues are entitlement to SMC based on the need for regular aid and attendance of another and on the basis of statutory housebound status.
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