The Board granted service connection for PTSD due to personal trauma, denied an increased rating for tinnitus, and denied service connection for bipolar disorder, hemorrhoids, lower back pain, and left knee pain.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's current diagnosis of PTSD is causally related to the in-service stressor of being forcibly strip searched at Fort Riley in the presence of other Army personnel. The criteria for a disability rating higher than 10 percent for tinnitus are not met, as it is the maximum schedular rating authorized under Diagnostic Code 6260 for tinnitus.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, bipolar disorder, PTSD due to personal trauma, hemorrhoids, lower back pain, left knee pain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- December 2, 2025
- Citation
- A25103448
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