The veteran's PTSD is rated at the highest possible level (100%), and he has other service-connected disabilities that render him unable to work. His hearing loss, hand injuries, shoulder injuries, ankle injury, wrist injury, and leg injury are all rated as they should be based on their severity.
The deciding factor: The veteran's PTSD meets the criteria for a 100% evaluation due to its severe manifestations including GAF scores ranging from 10 to 40/42, persistent suicidal ideation, memory deficits, intermittent inability to perform activities of daily living, and virtual isolation. The other service-connected disabilities are rated appropriately based on their severity.
- Claimed conditions
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Bilateral Hearing Loss, Injury to the Right Hand and Fingers, Residuals of Fragment Wounds to the Left Shoulder and Upper Arm, Residuals of Fragment Wounds to the Left Calf, Residuals of Fragment Wounds to the Right Calf, Residuals of Fragment Wounds to the Right Shoulder, Residuals of Fragment Wound to the Right Ankle, Residuals of Fragment Wounds to the Right Wrist, Residuals of Fragment Wound to the Left Leg
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- February 12, 2003
- Citation
- 0302752
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,242 · Granted: 26% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 0302752.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected. The claims for alcohol abuse and psychiatric disorder are remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
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.
- Denied
The Veteran's hearing loss was rated at 30 percent, the highest non-compensable rating available. The Board found that his hearing loss did not warrant a higher rating based on VA examinations and medical records.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current hearing loss and his active service. The Board noted that while he had complaints of earaches in service, these did not indicate a current disability.
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