The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for PUD, tinnitus, and left ear hearing loss. The evidence did not show a disability picture more nearly approximating moderate or higher for these conditions.
The deciding factor: The criteria for higher ratings were not met as the Veteran's symptoms did not warrant such evaluations based on the applicable rating schedule.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD) of the thoracolumbar spine, Right knee disorder, to include as secondary to left knee disability, High blood pressure, Left lower extremity sciatic radicular pain, claimed as secondary to degenerative disc disease, thoracolumbar spine, Right lower extremity sciatic radicular pain, claimed as secondary to degenerative disc disease, thoracolumbar spine, Loss of use of the lower extremities, Right ear hearing loss, Cervical spine condition, Cephalgia (headaches), claimed as secondary to cervical spine condition
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 11, 2017
- Citation
- 1700886
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 1700886.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted as the evidence shows a current diagnosis of PTSD, an in-service stressor, and a medical link between the two.
- Denied
The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50% since March 23, 2004. The Board found that a higher rating is not warranted prior to February 15, 2005 due to the severity of his symptoms and their impact on his social and occupational functioning.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and any acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his current mental health conditions and his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, warranting a 70% disability rating. The Veteran also met the criteria for a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.
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