The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, degenerative arthritis (lumbar spine), and lumbar radiculopathy, right lower extremity. The claims for PTSD, alcohol use disorder, a right shoulder disorder, and sleep apnea were remanded.

The deciding factor: The Board granted service connection for tinnitus based on the onset during active service, while denying bilateral hearing loss due to lack of evidence linking it to an in-service injury or disease. For the lumbar spine disability, the evidence did not support a rating higher than 20 percent.

Claimed conditions

bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, degenerative arthritis (lumbar spine), lumbar radiculopathy, right lower extremity (sciatic nerve), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), alcohol use disorder, right shoulder disorder, sleep apnea

How they argued it

Direct service connection

Exposure basis

None

Rating assigned

10%

Decision date

November 24, 2025

Citation

A25101737

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