The Board denied service connection for bilateral tinnitus and denied increased ratings for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, linear midline lumbar surgical scar, and bilateral hearing loss. However, the Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder secondary to a service-connected lumbar spine disability and a separate 10 percent rating for radiculopathy of the right lower extremity.

The deciding factor: The Veteran's tinnitus was not shown to have its onset during service or be caused by any in-service injury, disease, or event. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder was found to be secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine disability. The lumbar spine disability did not more closely approximate unfavorable ankylosis of the entire lumbar spine, and the radiculopathy of the right lower extremity most closely approximated mild incomplete paralysis of the sciatic nerve.

Claimed conditions

bilateral tinnitus, acquired psychiatric disorder (somatic symptom disorder and unspecified anxiety disorder), lumbar spine disability (lumbosacral strain with intervertebral disc syndrome spinal fusion and stenosis), radiculopathy of the right lower extremity, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, linear midline lumbar surgical scar, bilateral hearing loss

How they argued it

Direct service connection

Exposure basis

None

Rating assigned

None in this decision

Decision date

December 8, 2025

Citation

A25105525

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