The Veteran's claims for bilateral knee and lumbar spine disabilities were previously denied, but not reopened. The cervical spine disability claim was denied.,The Veteran's hearing loss is currently rated at 10% prior to July 15, 2015, and 10% thereafter. Tinnitus is assigned a 10% rating.,PTSD is rated at 30% since July 21, 2015. Ischemic heart disease remains rated at 30%. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a TDIU.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not establish that the Veteran's cervical spine disability is related to his active duty service.,The Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are currently rated based on their severity. No extraschedular consideration is warranted for tinnitus.,PTSD symptoms, including depression, anxiety, irritability, anger, chronic sleep impairment, decreased impulse control, and decreased memory, do not meet the criteria for a higher rating prior to July 21, 2015, or 30% thereafter. The Veteran's ischemic heart disease is rated based on its severity.,The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Knee Disability, Lumbar Spine Disability, Cervical Spine Disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 8, 2018
- Citation
- 1813520
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 1813520.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's cervical spine disability, right knee strain (painful motion), and right knee instability are now rated at 30 percent effective August 16, 2017.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and bilateral knee disability must be remanded due to duty-to-assist errors. The Veteran's reported stressors need to be verified, and a VA examination is required to address the etiology of his bilateral knee condition.
- Denied
The Veteran's claims for service connection for TMD, cervical spine disability, and FSAD have been denied.,An earlier effective date prior to August 2, 2022, for the award of service connection for these conditions has also been denied.
- Denied
The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated as noncompensable prior to August 19, 2024 and at a 20% rating since that date.,The Veteran's depressive disorder is rated as 30% prior to December 1, 2022 and at a 40% rating since that date.,The Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated as 20% prior to December 1, 2022 and at a 40% rating since that date.,The Veteran's left lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy is rated as 10% prior to August 3, 2024 and at a 20% rating since that date.,The Veteran's right lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy is rated as 10% prior to August 3, 2024 and at a 20% rating since that date.,The Veteran's left lower extremity femoral nerve radiculopathy is rated as 20% since August 3, 2024.,The Veteran's right ankle disability is rated as 10% prior to August 27, 2024 and at a 20% rating since that date.
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