The Veteran's service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include major depressive disorder with anxiety, is granted. However, his claims for a compensable disability evaluation for bilateral hearing loss and initial evaluations in excess of 10 percent for degenerative joint disease of the left knee and left knee instability are denied.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service connection claim was granted based on evidence showing he has major depressive disorder with anxiety that is at least as likely as not related to his service. His claims for hearing loss and knee disabilities were denied as there was no evidence supporting a compensable rating or initial evaluations in excess of 10 percent.
- Claimed conditions
- Major Depressive Disorder with Anxiety, Bilateral Hearing Loss
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 5, 2017
- Citation
- 1736939
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 1736939.
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 bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected. The claims for alcohol abuse and psychiatric disorder are remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The issue remains under direct service connection theory.
- Denied
The Veteran's hearing loss was rated at 30 percent, the highest non-compensable rating available. The Board found that his hearing loss did not warrant a higher rating based on VA examinations and medical records.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current hearing loss and his active service. The Board noted that while he had complaints of earaches in service, these did not indicate a current disability.
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