Real decisions, in plain English

The Board denied the veteran's claims for annual clothing allowances for a left knee sleeve, A&D ointment, hydrocortisone cream, and incontinence briefs due to lack of service connection or evidence that these items cause irreparable damage to outer garments.

Left knee disorder · Foot disorder (non-service-connected) · Hemorrhoids (non-service-connected) · Irritable Bowel Syndrome (service-connected)

The Board granted service connection for PTSD, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor and finding that his PTSD is related to an in-service military sexual trauma (MST) during a period of ACDUTRA.

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

The Board remands the claim for a VA medical opinion to determine if the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including medications taken therefor, were a substantial or contributing factor in his death.

renal failure

The Board remands the claim for service connection for sleep apnea to obtain an addendum opinion regarding its etiology, specifically addressing whether it is caused or aggravated by the Veteran's service-connected PTSD with depressive symptoms and alcohol abuse.

sleep apnea

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disabilities to the AOJ for further development and consideration of evidence not previously considered.

left foot disability · right foot disability · left knee disability · right knee disability · left ankle disability · low back disability · neck disability

The appeal for service connection for chronic kidney disease was dismissed due to the Veteran not timely filing a Notice of Disagreement within one year of the rating decision.

chronic kidney disease · kidney failure

The Board remands the claim for a direct service connection opinion and an adequate secondary service connection aggravation opinion.

sleep apnea

The Board granted a 20 percent rating for the Veteran's left knee strain, service connection for right ear hearing loss, and service connection for a right ankle disorder. Other claims were denied or remanded.

Residuals of left knee strain · Right ear hearing loss · Right ankle disorder · Left ear hearing loss

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current condition had its onset during active duty service.

tinnitus

The Board remands the claim for service connection of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as secondary to fibromyalgia due to a need for additional medical evidence.

obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)

The Board remands the claim for a new medical determination to correct a pre-decisional duty to assist error.

The Board denied a compensable rating for erectile dysfunction and a higher rating for left upper extremity peripheral neuropathy with muscle weakness, but granted an earlier effective date for the 60 percent disability rating for thrombosis, TIA or cerebral infarction with impairment of sphincter control and voiding dysfunction, and for service connection for pharynx and/or larynx and/or swallowing conditions residuals.

Erectile Dysfunction · Left Upper Extremity Peripheral Neuropathy with Muscle Weakness · Thrombosis, Transient Ischemic Attacks (TIA) or Cerebral Infarction with Impairment of Sphincter Control and Voiding Dysfunction · Pharynx and/or Larynx and/or Swallowing Conditions Residuals

The Board granted a 20 percent disability rating for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy from April 3, 2023 onward, but denied higher ratings prior to that date. Service connection was also granted for alcohol use disorder as secondary to PTSD with traumatic brain injury.

left lower extremity (LLE) radiculopathy · right lower extremity (RLE) radiculopathy · boxers fracture of the 5th metacarpal of the right hand · left ear hearing loss · alcohol use disorder as secondary to PTSD with traumatic brain injury (TBI) · lumbar degenerative disc disease with intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS) · right knee meniscal tear with degenerative joint disease · left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome with tendinopathy · right hip strain with subchondral cyst · left ankle fracture residuals with degenerative arthritis · maxillary sinuses · right phrenic nerve paralysis · cervical spine disability · right upper extremity radiculopathy · right ear hearing loss disability · obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) · total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU)

The Board denied service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome and denied higher ratings for sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, and lumbosacral strain. However, the Board granted initial 20 percent ratings for left lower extremity radiculopathy, femoral nerve, and sciatic nerve.

chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, as there was no evidence of a current disability in the right ear and insufficient evidence to establish a nexus between the left ear hearing loss and service.

Bilateral hearing loss

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor. The claims for a cervical spine condition and lumbar spine condition were remanded for further development.

tinnitus · cervical spine condition · lumbar spine condition

The Board granted service connection for Type II diabetes mellitus, finding that it is secondary to the Veteran's service-connected unspecified depressive disorder.

Type II diabetes mellitus

The Board remands the case to obtain a medical opinion regarding the Veteran's need for personal care services and other related needs.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder was granted a rating of 70 percent, and the ratings for his right and left lower extremity impairments were increased to 60 percent, effective July 29, 2016. The claims for higher ratings for upper extremity impairments were denied.

depression and dementia with insomnia (acquired psychiatric disorder) · right upper extremity impairment · left upper extremity impairment · right lower extremity impairment · left lower extremity impairment

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic renal failure, finding that the evidence does not support a link between the condition and his military service.

chronic renal failure