The Veteran's claim for service connection for lower back strain was denied.,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus was denied.,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for left ankle strain prior to May 22, 2025 and a rating in excess of 20 percent thereafter from that date was also denied.
The deciding factor: There is no lay or medical evidence demonstrating that the Veteran's lower back strain arose in service or is otherwise the result of an in-service injury, event, or disease.,The maximum schedular rating for tinnitus (10 percent) has been assigned and there are no symptoms or manifestations of tinnitus not already contemplated by this rating.,There is no evidence showing marked limited motion of the ankle prior to May 22, 2025. The Veteran's left ankle strain was rated at 20 percent effective from that date.
- Claimed conditions
- lower back strain, tinnitus, left ankle strain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 2, 2026
- Citation
- A26000193
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 A26000193.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, arthritis, and memory loss. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The issues of foot disability and cardiovascular disorder are remanded for additional development.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran experienced tinnitus during his active duty service.
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