The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation since March 2010, granting his claim for TDIU.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's multiple service-connected disabilities, including back pain, knee issues, hearing loss, PTSD, and sleep apnea, prevented him from performing the duties of a large clock repairman, which was his only employment history since retirement from military service in 1993.
- Claimed conditions
- left elbow disability, back disability, left knee disability, bilateral hallux valgus, right wrist ganglion, bilateral hearing loss, PTSD, sleep apnea, knee disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- August 12, 2019
- Citation
- 19162058
Veterans Law Judge
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 19162058.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess his bilateral knee and hip disabilities.
- Granted
The Board of Veterans' Appeals has granted service connection for PTSD and Mood Disorders, both presumed conditions under the PACT Act.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
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