The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include depressive disorder and insomnia, is denied. The Board found the evidence insufficient to establish a link between these conditions and service.,Service connection for PTSD is denied. The Board determined that there was no credible supporting evidence of in-service stressors related to combat or fear of hostile military activity.,Service connection for left leg disability is remanded, as the evidence did not meet the criteria for direct service connection.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's tinnitus began during basic training and has persisted since then. The VA medical opinion supported this finding without resorting to speculation.,There was no credible supporting evidence of in-service stressors related to combat or fear of hostile military activity for PTSD, and the Veteran did not serve in a combat role.,The acquired psychiatric disorder, including depressive disorder, insomnia, and PTSD, were not linked to service due to insufficient evidence. The Board found that the diagnosis was based on an inaccurate factual premise regarding combat exposure.,Service connection for left leg disability is remanded as there was no clear evidence of a link between the condition and service.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, depressive disorder, insomnia, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), left leg disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 13, 2026
- Citation
- A26013775
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 A26013775.
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 expanded the scope of the claim to include any mental health disorder raised by the record and has remanded for additional development regarding service connection for left leg, ankle, and psychiatric disabilities.
- 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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including bipolar disorder and PTSD. The Veteran will be asked to provide additional medical records and undergo a VA 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.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.