Real decisions, in plain English

The Veteran's claims for service connection for anxiety disorder, right ear hearing loss, migraine headaches, and bilateral foot conditions have been denied. The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of these conditions.,Service connection was also denied for tinnitus.

Anxiety Disorder · Right Ear Hearing Loss · Migraine Headaches · Bilateral Foot Conditions · Tinnitus

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for tinnitus, a recurrent lumbar spine disability, bilateral hearing loss, and hypertension due to potential errors in the examination reports.

tinnitus · recurrent lumbar spine disability to include intervertebral disc syndrome, degenerative arthritis, and spinal stenosis · bilateral hearing loss · hypertension

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is not related to his service and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

bilateral hearing loss

The Veteran's post-traumatic headaches are currently rated at the maximum schedular rating of 50 percent, and there is no evidence to support a higher rating. The Board has determined that an extraschedular evaluation is not warranted.

Post-traumatic headaches

New and relevant evidence has been received to warrant readjudication of the claims of service connection for bilateral ankle disorders. The Veteran's claim will be readjudicated in order to address the new evidence of record.

bilateral ankle disorders

The Board has granted a separate rating of 30 percent for right knee instability, but has remanded the issue of an increased rating for right knee disability due to inadequate VA examinations and failure to consider the effects of pain medication.

Right Knee Instability · Right Knee Disability

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for depression, Gram Positive Cocci Condition, chronic bronchitis, irritable bowel syndrome, and diseases of Keratinization due to untimely filing of the Decision Review Request.

depression · Gram Positive Cocci Condition · chronic bronchitis · irritable bowel syndrome · diseases of Keratinization

The Veteran's service-connected lumbar spine disability and other disabilities have been granted, including a TDIU based on his inability to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to these conditions.

Degenerative disc disease (DDD) · Lumbar strain

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea on a secondary basis to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD. The claim of entitlement to an initial compensable disability rating for aortic dissection is remanded.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea · Aortic Dissection

The Veteran's claim for service connection for left hand pain is being remanded due to a duty-to-assist error. The Board will need to provide an adequate medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's claimed condition and his military service, including exposure to burn pits.

left hand pain

The Veteran's PTSD and obstructive sleep apnea prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment, leading to the grant of a TDIU effective July 26, 2019. The housebound rate SMC was also granted at this date.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) · Obstructive Sleep Apnea

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for multiple myeloma and back problems due to a duty to assist error. For multiple myeloma, the Veteran's exposure to asbestos is not verified. For back problems, an addendum opinion is needed to consider the Veteran's lay statements regarding her training-related injuries.

multiple myeloma · back problems

The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and an effective date of January 25, 2022, for the award of service connection for erectile dysfunction. The appeal for service connection for erectile dysfunction is dismissed as moot.

obstructive sleep apnea · erectile dysfunction

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current disability of bilateral hearing loss as defined by VA regulations and there is no recent diagnosis prior to his filing of the claim. Therefore, service connection for this condition is denied.

bilateral hearing loss

The Board has determined that the Veteran's pancreatic cancer, which should have been service-connected due to exposure to radiation during his military service, substantially contributed to his death. As a result, the claim for service connection for cause of death is granted.

pancreatic adenocarcinoma

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and therefore, service connection for TBI is denied.

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected disabilities, which include stressor related disorder, prostate cancer residuals, surgical scar, and erectile dysfunction. The combined disability rating is at least 80 percent.

stressor related disorder · prostate cancer residuals · surgical scar · erectile dysfunction

The Veteran's cerviogenic migraines were remanded for an addendum VA examination to assess the severity of his condition prior to June 19, 2018, without considering the ameliorative effects of any medication.

Cerviogenic migraines

The Veteran's radiculopathy of the external cutaneous nerves of the thigh, ilioinguinal nerves, and obturator nerves was not shown prior to August 15, 2019. Effective dates for service connection are denied.

Left lower extremity radiculopathy of the external cutaneous nerve of the thigh · Right lower extremity radiculopathy of the external cutaneous nerve of the thigh · Left lower extremity radiculopathy of the ilioinguinal nerve · Right lower extremity radiculopathy of the ilioinguinal nerve · Left lower extremity radiculopathy of the obturator nerve · Right lower extremity radiculopathy of the obturator nerve

The appeal has been dismissed due to the Veteran's death.