The Veteran's appeal for an initial disability rating higher than 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss has been dismissed due to the Veteran withdrawing his appeal.,Service connection for xerostomia is granted, with the condition being proximately due to medication used for a service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder.,An initial rating of 70 percent is granted for an acquired psychiatric disorder throughout the period on appeal. The issue of TDIU is also addressed and found to be met.,The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities is considered.
The deciding factor: The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the initial disability rating higher than 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss, resulting in its dismissal.,The evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether xerostomia is proximately due to medication used for a service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder.,Throughout the period of the claim, the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder has been productive of occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood. The evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether this level of impairment exists.,The Veteran meets the threshold percentage requirements for a TDIU due to service-connected disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, xerostomia, acquired psychiatric disorder
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 15, 2018
- Citation
- 18102374
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 18102374.
What this means for you
A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot. It says more about procedure than about whether a claim like this can win.
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 case for additional development regarding the Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, and PTSD due to additional development of records and examination.
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