The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including lumbar disc disease and bilateral radiculopathy, left ankle disability, tinnitus, and hearing loss, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, particularly his back pain and associated radiculopathy, significantly limit his ability to perform physically demanding tasks required for most jobs, making it difficult for him to secure and maintain employment.
- Claimed conditions
- lumbar disc disease, minimal bone spur with tenderness, left ankle, tinnitus, right lower extremity radiculopathy associated with lumbar disc disease, left lower extremity radiculopathy associated with lumbar disc disease, residual fracture, right base of fourth finger, left hand, bilateral hearing loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 60%
- Decision date
- August 21, 2015
- Citation
- 1535961
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1535961.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
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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