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.
- Partly granted
The Veteran was granted a 70 percent initial disability rating for PTSD effective December 2, 2021, but the claim for an increased rating in excess of 70 percent was denied. The appeal also included claims for service connection and ratings for various conditions, some of which were granted while others were remanded.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for asthma and remanded claims for insomnia and sleep apnea. Other conditions were denied.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for tinnitus to correct a duty to assist error, as the Veteran's lay statements regarding onset and continuity of symptoms were not adequately considered in the previous decision.
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