The Veteran's claims for effective dates earlier than August 16, 2016, for the grants of service connection for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine, and radiculopathy of the lower left extremity were denied.,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD was denied.,The Veteran's claims for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied.,The Veteran's claim for a 20 percent rating for radiculopathy of the lower left extremity was granted, subject to further review.,The Veteran's claim for TDIU was granted.
The deciding factor: The effective dates for the grants of service connection were not earlier than August 16, 2016, as there was no prior claim filed before that date. The preponderance of evidence did not support an earlier effective date.,The Veteran's PTSD does not meet the criteria for a higher rating due to total social impairment.,Bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus do not warrant ratings in excess of 10 percent as they are currently rated at their maximum levels.,Radiculopathy of the lower left extremity is characterized by moderate symptoms, but no greater. The Veteran's radiculopathy meets the criteria for a 20 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 8520.,The Veteran has demonstrated that he is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Bilateral Hearing Loss, Tinnitus, Degenerative Arthritis of the Thoracolumbar Spine, Radiculopathy of the Lower Left Extremity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 1, 2019
- Citation
- 19159403
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 19159403.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD due to an inadequate medical opinion.
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of February 21, 2007, for the award of service connection for PTSD and major depressive disorder with anxious distress.
- Granted
The Board granted a rating of 70 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI), as the Veteran's symptoms most nearly approximated occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.
- Granted
The Board granted a disability rating of 70 percent for PTSD and a total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU) based on the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.
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