Real decisions, in plain English

The Veteran's chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is found to be related to his in-service boxing career and service connection for CTE is granted.

chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE)

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient rationale in the July 2012 VA examination for the Veteran's left knee disability, and a new addendum opinion is needed.

left knee disability

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to a lack of Correia compliant testing and inextricably intertwined with the TDIU claim.

bilateral calcaneal plantar spur · right Achilles spur

The appeal for hearing loss was dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal. The appeals for thoracolumbar spine disability and hepatitis C are being remanded for additional development.

hearing loss · thoracolumbar spine disability · hepatitis C

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, Major Depression, and Panic Disorder due to his withdrawal of these issues prior to a decision being made.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) · Major Depression · Panic Disorder

The Veteran's PTSD claim is remanded due to the lack of private treatment records. The Board cannot properly adjudicate the claim without these records.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating prior to August 12, 2013 was denied as his right knee disability did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 5003.,The Veteran's claim for a higher rating from April 1, 2016 was denied as he is already receiving the maximum allowable disability rating of 60 percent for total right knee replacement.

Right Knee Arthritis · Meniscectomy

The Board has decided to remand the issue of service connection for sleep apnea due to insufficient medical opinions and need for further development.

sleep apnea

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for hypertension, fibromyalgia, and vertigo. The decision found that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service or a service-connected disability.

hypertension · fibromyalgia · vertigo

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims of service connection for a back disability, endometriosis, thyroid condition, and chronic fatigue syndrome due to new evidence submitted since the last final denial. The claims are now considered on their merits.

back disability · endometriosis · thyroid condition · chronic fatigue syndrome

The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for a colon condition, including as caused by herbicide agent exposure or secondary to his service-connected disabilities, was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of service connection on any basis.

colon condition · ulcerative colitis · diverticulitis

The claim for service connection of a low back disability was reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The claim is denied as there is no evidence that the current condition is related to service.

low back pain · lumbosacral spine arthritis

The Veteran's initial ratings for anxiety disorder and TBI were denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

Anxiety Disorder · Traumatic Brain Injury

The Veteran's appeal regarding an effective date prior to January 26, 2012, for an increased evaluation of PTSD is dismissed. The Board also remanded the issues of entitlement to a higher rating for PTSD and TDIU benefits due to the need for additional development.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

The Board has remanded the case due to uncertainty about the Veteran's periods of active duty, ACDUTRA, and INACDUTRA. The claim will be reconsidered with this information.

bilateral hearing loss

The Veteran's tinnitus is presumed to have been incurred in service due to noise exposure during his time in Vietnam.

tinnitus

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The issue remains under direct service connection theory.

Bilateral Hearing Loss

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU are being remanded due to the addition of new evidence. The Veteran is also asked to complete a TDIU claim form, and his bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and face numbness need to be evaluated.

left lower lip and chin numbness · left wrist carpal tunnel syndrome · right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome · sinusitis with headaches

The Board has remanded the claims for a neurological examination to determine if any diagnosed radiculopathy or other neurological disability affecting the lower extremities was caused or aggravated by service-connected conditions.

bilateral hip and pelvis disability · bilateral leg disability · bilateral knee disability · bilateral ankle disability

The Veteran's appeal for special monthly compensation based on the need for aid and attendance of another person or housebound status is being remanded due to new evidence added to the file by VA. The case will be readjudicated in a Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC).

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