The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are of such severity as to effectively preclude substantially gainful employment for which the Veteran's education and occupational experience would otherwise qualify him.
The deciding factor: The combined effect of all the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, specifically his hearing disabilities, left shoulder disability and cold injuries of the lower extremities caused truly severe impairment in his occupational functioning.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative joint disease of the left shoulder, Bilateral hearing loss, Tinnitus, Residuals of cold injury of the right lower extremity, Residuals of cold injury of the left lower extremity, Residuals of cold injury of the right ear, Residuals of cold injury of the left ear, Residuals of cold injury of the nose
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- November 16, 2016
- Citation
- 1643567
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 1643567.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for a low back disorder was reopened, and his claims for increased ratings of bilateral knee instability were granted. His hearing loss claim was denied.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for a higher rating for PTSD and dismissed his appeals regarding increased ratings for tinnitus and a right hand disability due to lack of timely filing of Notice of Disagreement.
- Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including GAD, MDD, bruxism, migraines/headaches, tinnitus, hip pain, iliotibial band syndrome, and leg stress fractures. The evidence does not support current diagnoses of these conditions during the appeal period.
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