The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including residuals of a cold injury and bilateral hearing loss, combine to at least 40 percent disability. The Board finds that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether the Veteran is unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected conditions, thus granting TDIU.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's combined rating of 70% includes disabilities from common etiology (residuals of a cold injury), which meet the criteria for TDIU.
- Claimed conditions
- residuals of a cold injury, right lower extremity, residuals of a cold injury, left lower extremity, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- March 27, 2012
- Citation
- 1211031
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 1211031.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, arthritis, and memory loss. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
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