The Veteran's claim for increased ratings and service connection has been granted. The decision also includes a finding of TDIU.
The deciding factor: The Veteran meets the criteria for TDIU as his combined disability rating is at least 70% due to multiple service-connected disabilities, including major depressive disorder with insomnia rated 50%, sleep apnea rated 50%, and traumatic brain injury rated 10%. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, left elbow condition, right elbow condition, left wrist condition, right wrist condition, neck condition, left knee condition, right knee condition, respiratory disability (sinusitis and bronchitis), heart condition, digestive disability (gastroenteritis), liver condition, ingrown toenails, skin condition (moles), sciatica of the left lower extremity, sciatica of the right lower extremity, dental disability (periodontal disease), right hand degenerative joint disease, residual scars of the right eyebrow, residual scars of the left upper extremity, residual scars of the left forearm and posterior trunk, traumatic brain injury, migraines, major depressive disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 3, 2018
- Citation
- 18140623
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 18140623.
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 service connection for migraines was reopened due to new evidence. Service connection is granted for painful scars, but the rating assigned remains at 10 percent. The claims for fibromyalgia and bilateral shoulder disability are denied.
- Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's headaches are at least as likely as not caused by his service-connected traumatic brain injury, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for specially-adapted housing assistance and a special home adaptation grant was denied because he does not meet the criteria for either benefit based on his service-connected disabilities.
- 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.
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