The Veteran's lumbar and neck conditions have been granted service connection.,Increased ratings for CTS in both upper extremities are granted, with the right hand receiving a 30 percent rating effective February 18, 2016, and the left hand receiving a 20 percent rating from that date forward. The Veteran's loss of sense of taste is now rated as compensable.,The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has been increased to 10 percent disabling since April 13, 2011.
The deciding factor: Service connection was granted for lumbar and neck conditions based on new evidence submitted by the Veteran.
- Claimed conditions
- Lumbar spine condition, Neck condition, Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) right upper extremity, Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) left upper extremity, Loss of sense of taste, Bilateral hearing loss
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- July 13, 2017
- Citation
- 1726935
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 1726935.
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.
- 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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeals of the initial ratings for his service-connected chronic cough and bilateral hearing loss are remanded due to procedural errors in the evidentiary record.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral pes planus with hammer toes, hallux valgus and degenerative arthritis, sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and bilateral kidney cysts, rendered him unable to secure or follow gainful employment. The Board granted the TDIU based on these conditions.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus) do not prevent him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment.
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