Real decisions, in plain English

The Veteran's sleep apnea was not caused or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD, and the claim for this condition is denied.,There is no evidence of a testicular hernia at any time during the appeal period. The claim for this condition is denied.,The Veteran's PTSD did not result in an increased disability rating beyond 30 percent.

Sleep Apnea · Testicular Hernia

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to a lack of adequate opinion regarding the relationship between his in-service noise exposure and current hearing loss.

bilateral hearing loss

The Board has dismissed the appeal as the Veteran has already received payment for travel to and from the VA outpatient treatment he received on October 9, 2020.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, toenail fungus, and bronchitis with pneumonia has been denied. The Board found no current disability of hypertension at the time of filing or during the appeal period.,For toenail fungus, the Board noted that there is no evidence of a current diagnosis in the record.

hypertension · toenail fungus · bronchitis with pneumonia

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed headaches, which may be related to his service-connected mood disorder.

headaches

The Board has determined that the Veteran's erectile dysfunction is secondary to his service-connected major depressive disorder, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

Erectile Dysfunction · Major Depressive Disorder

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a duty-to-assist error regarding hypertension and asthma. The Veteran's hypertension is claimed as secondary to his service-connected asthma, but the VA examiners did not address whether the hypertension was aggravated by the asthma.

hypertension

The Veteran's vascular headaches are granted effective August 22, 2011. A TDIU is granted effective February 11, 2015. SMC based on housebound criteria is denied prior to July 14, 2020.

vascular headaches · cerebral arteriosclerosis · depressive disorder · syncope associated with hypertension

The Veteran was granted TDIU from May 23, 2011 to December 31, 2021 due to his service-connected PTSD. However, the claim for TDIU from January 1, 2022 to May 11, 2023 is denied.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

The Veteran's OSA is granted as service connected. The Veteran's infectious disease claim and stomach disability claim are remanded for further examination.

infectious disease (claimed as immunity problems) · obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) · stomach disability to include gastritis and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)

The Veteran's left shoulder strain, including a labral tear status post-surgery, is granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's bilateral corneal scars are granted as service-connected. The restoration of the 60% disability rating for dermatitis is also granted.

left shoulder strain · bilateral corneal scars

The Board has restored the Veteran's rating for his right elbow condition from 10 percent to 20 percent effective May 5, 2025, finding that the evidence was in equipoise regarding whether there had been improvement in the Veteran's ability to function under ordinary conditions of life and work.

limitation of supination and pronation, right elbow · degenerative arthritis · tendinitis

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment prior to August 14, 2023.

lumbar degenerative disc disease · right incomplete paralysis · cervical spine IVDS · left incomplete paralysis · asthma · right sciatic nerve incomplete paralysis · left sciatic nerve incomplete paralysis · left femoral nerve · right femoral nerve · right knee osteoporosis · left arm dermatofibroma

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for hypertension was dismissed because the claim was filed too late after a previous denial and did not use the correct form.

hypertension

The Veteran's appeal for service connection of liver cancer has been dismissed due to their death during the pendency of the appeal.

liver cancer

The Board has determined that the Veteran's diabetes mellitus and chronic kidney disease are not secondary to his service-connected tinnitus.,The Veteran's lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis claim is remanded due to insufficient evidence addressing continuity of symptoms since service.

diabetes mellitus · chronic kidney disease · lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis · obstructive sleep apnea

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has not been presented to readjudicate the previously denied claim of service connection for connective tissue disease. The PACT Act requires a VA examination or medical opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's diagnosed connective tissue disease and his presumed exposure to herbicide agents, including Agent Orange.

Connective tissue disease

The Veteran's appeal seeking an initial compensable rating for bilateral carotid artery stenosis is dismissed. A separate 10 percent rating is granted for supraventricular arrhythmia (paroxysmal atrial fibrillation). The appeal of the VA notification letter regarding his March 2025 supplemental claim for SMC (A&A) is also dismissed.

bilateral carotid artery stenosis · supraventricular arrhythmia (paroxysmal atrial fibrillation)

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic kidney disease, effective January 30, 1998. The decision is based on newly associated service treatment records that were not previously considered in the original denial of the claim.

chronic kidney disease

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability due to inadequate examination and reasoning.

tinnitus · bilateral hearing loss disability