The Veteran's claim for service connection of a right foot disability, diagnosed as degenerative joint disease of the first metatarsophalangeal joint of the right foot with plantar fasciitis, is granted.,The Veteran's claim for service connection of left ear hearing loss is denied.,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus is denied as his disability already meets the maximum schedular rating under Diagnostic Code 6260.,The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for unspecified adjustment disorder and dysthymia with alcohol abuse disorder is granted, but only to the extent that it does not exceed the current 50 percent rating.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner provided an opinion supporting a nexus between the right foot condition and service, based on the Veteran's in-service injury and subsequent treatment.,The audiometric test results did not meet the statutory criteria for hearing loss within the meaning of that term for VA purposes.,The Veteran’s tinnitus disability already meets the maximum schedular rating under Diagnostic Code 6260.,The Veteran's psychiatric disability, as diagnosed, does not warrant a higher rating based on the current symptoms and impairment.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative joint disease of the first metatarsophalangeal joint of the right foot with plantar fasciitis, Left ear hearing loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- May 20, 2019
- Citation
- 19139066
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,948 · Granted: 29% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19139066.
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.
- Denied
The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss disability does not meet or approximate criteria for a compensable (10%) disability rating at any point during the appeal period.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a compensable rating for right ear hearing loss and service connection for left ear hearing loss due to inadequate audiometric examinations. The Veteran will be scheduled for new VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his left ear hearing loss and the severity of his hearing loss.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's liver disability has not resulted in any compensable symptoms, as he had a previous history of liver disease but is currently asymptomatic.,The Veteran's left ear hearing loss has been rated at noncompensable level due to the absence of more than Level I hearing acuity.
- Granted
The Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) from August 6, 2008 due to the Veteran's service-connected right knee disability.
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