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
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- August 1, 2019
- Citation
- 19159403
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,316 · Granted: 43% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed 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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 19159403.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted as the evidence shows a current diagnosis of PTSD, an in-service stressor, and a medical link between the two.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50% since March 23, 2004. The Board found that a higher rating is not warranted prior to February 15, 2005 due to the severity of his symptoms and their impact on his social and occupational functioning.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and any acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his current mental health conditions and his military service.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.
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