The Veteran's tinnitus is related to his active service, and the Board has granted entitlement to service connection for this condition.,There is no evidence of a current low back disability or sleep apnea in the record. The Board denied service connection for these conditions as there was no diagnosis during or after service.,The Veteran's left foot plantar fasciitis is related to his active service, and the Board has granted entitlement to service connection for this condition.,Service connection for a back disability remains denied.
The deciding factor: The Veteran reported experiencing tinnitus shortly after separation from service. The VA examiner found that the onset of tinnitus was three years post-separation with no known causal event, and there is evidence of noise exposure during service.,There is no medical documentation showing a current low back or sleep apnea disability in the record. The Veteran's symptoms were related to his mental health condition rather than these disabilities.,The VA examiner found that the Veteran's left foot plantar fasciitis was less likely caused by service, but also noted mild asymptomatic pes planus at enlistment and a diagnosis of plantar fasciitis upon entry into the military. The examiner concluded it is more likely related to his pre-existing condition.,The Board denied service connection for a back disability as there was no current diagnosis in the record.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, back disability (lumbosacral strain), sleep apnea, left foot plantar fasciitis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 15, 2026
- Citation
- A26004117
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 A26004117.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
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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