The Board denied a rating in excess of 30 percent for adjustment disorder prior to April 10, 2013. A 50 percent rating was granted thereafter. The Board also remanded three knee service connection issues, the hearing loss extraschedular issue and the TDIU issue. From March 13, 2014, a TDIU based on combined ratings of service-connected disabilities is granted.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's psychiatric disability rendered him totally disabled from any full-time work in a normal competitive work setting due to his symptoms affecting attention and concentration, as well as his ability to interact with others without distracting them or exhibiting behavioral extremes.
- Claimed conditions
- adjustment disorder, esophageal cancer, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, left knee arthritis, right knee arthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 24, 2018
- Citation
- 18120534
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 18120534.
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.
- 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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