The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, diabetes, and peripheral neuropathy, are rated at a combined 90 percent. The Board finds that these conditions preclude the Veteran from participating in substantially gainful employment due to their severity.
The deciding factor: The combined effect of the Veteran’s service-connected disabilities (PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, diabetes, and polyneuropathy) reasonably precludes him from participating in any regular substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and occupational experience.
- Claimed conditions
- PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM), left and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, tinnitus, left thigh shell fragment wound, residuals of a left inferior orbit shrapnel injury, right foot scar
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 90%
- Decision date
- October 9, 2018
- Citation
- 18140918
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 18140918.
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 Board granted service connection for PTSD, generalized anxiety disorder, and somatic symptom disorder, as well as presumptive service connection for basal cell carcinoma under the PACT Act. Service connection was denied for chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, right restless leg syndrome, left restless leg syndrome, an increased rating for psychiatric disorder, bilateral hearing loss, a left forehead surgical scar, and allergic rhinitis.
- 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).
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including bilateral hearing loss and various musculoskeletal issues, as well as an initial rating in excess of 0 percent for rhinitis. However, the Board granted a 70 percent rating for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
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