Real decisions, in plain English

The Veteran's IBS with GERD was granted an initial 60 percent rating. The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea due to insufficient medical opinions and development.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) · Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)

The Board has granted an initial 20 percent rating for service-connected vitamin D deficiency, finding that the Veteran's recurrent abdominal pain and diarrhea most closely approximates the criteria for a 20 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 6313. The claim for service connection for IBS was not addressed in this decision.

vitamin D deficiency · Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

Your appeal of the March 28, 2025 rating decision that deferred adjudication of your right hip disability claim has been dismissed.

Right hip disability

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased evaluations have been remanded due to the need for further development. The Board found no evidence of chronic fatigue syndrome or other related conditions that are not attributable to his service-connected disabilities.

Chronic Fatigue · Left Arm Disorder · Right Arm Disorder · Left Knee Disorder

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at a 70 percent level, reflecting significant occupational and social impairment.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

The Board has granted service connection for pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB) and remanded the issues of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and hypertension.

pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB) · obstructive sleep apnea · hypertension

The Veteran is granted up to 36 months of Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) educational assistance benefits, subject to the statutory 81-month cap.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty-to-assist error, specifically regarding an inadequate medical opinion on the etiology of the Veteran's sleep apnea and whether his service-connected disabilities caused or aggravated his condition.

sleep apnea

The Board dismissed the appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss due to the appellant's withdrawal. Service connection was granted for tinnitus.

bilateral hearing loss · tinnitus

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for migraine headaches has been dismissed.,The Veteran's appeals for service connection for bell's palsy and residuals of carbon monoxide poisoning have been dismissed.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for OSA is remanded.

migraine headaches · bell's palsy · residuals of carbon monoxide poisoning · obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)

The Veteran's appeals for earlier effective dates and compensable ratings for left knee tendonitis and right knee chondromalacia have been dismissed as he withdrew his appeal in January 2025.

left knee tendonitis · right knee chondromalacia

The Veteran's claim for service connection of a low back disability was granted with an effective date of January 9, 2018. The Board accepted her November 21, 2019 VA Form 20-0996 as a valid opt-in of the April 2019 SOC into the modernized review system.

low back disability

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD and a secondary condition due to pain was denied as there is no evidence of an in-service stressor or direct service connection, and the provided medical opinions did not establish a causal relationship between current symptoms and service.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) · Pain disorder with related psychological factors

The Veteran's headaches, which manifested as very frequent and prolonged attacks causing severe economic inadaptability, are granted a 50 percent disability rating for the entire period on appeal.

Headaches

The Veteran is granted a TDIU based on his service-connected migraines and SMC at the housebound rate due to additional service-connected disabilities independently rated at 60 percent.

migraines

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be etiologically related to his active service, and the Board grants entitlement to service connection for tinnitus.

tinnitus

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss. The Veteran's claims for acquired psychiatric disorder, seizure disorder, right great toe and right second toe disabilities, and left knee disability are remanded for further development.

Right Ear Hearing Loss · Acquired Psychiatric Disorder (PTSD) · Seizure Disorder · Right Great Toe Disability and Scar · Right Second Toe Disability · Left Knee Disability

The appeals for service connection of thoracolumbar spine disability, dental disability, headache disability (claimed as migraine headaches), and PTSD have been dismissed. The appeal regarding service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is remanded.

Thoracolumbar Spine Disability (claimed as mid-back pain, lower back pain) · Dental Disability · Headache Disability (claimed as migraine headaches) · Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) · Obstructive Sleep Apnea

The Board has denied service connection for lumbar and cervical spine disabilities as there is no evidence of a nexus between the current conditions and active service. The Veteran's back disability was not related to his in-service injury, and the cervical spine disability did not have its onset during service.

Lumbar spine disability · Cervical spine disability

The Board has restored the 10 percent disability rating for an adjustment disorder and the 20 percent disability rating for a back condition, effective June 1, 2025. The Veteran's claims of increased ratings are remanded.

adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood · lumbosacral strain (back condition)