The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment.
The deciding factor: VA medical examinations and statements from the Veteran indicate that his service-connected conditions, including dysthymia, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and right knee disability, do not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.
- Claimed conditions
- dysthymic disorder, lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis and intervertebral disc syndrome, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, residual right knee injury with subpatellar crepitus and degenerative spur formation, rheumatoid arthritis (implied by dysthymia)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- March 27, 2017
- Citation
- 1709345
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 1709345.
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.
- 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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