The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for PTSD was dismissed as he withdrew his claim.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted, with the condition that it began during active service and is not due to a service-connected disability.,From October 4, 2016, the Veteran is granted TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities (PTSD and tinnitus).,The Veteran's claim for service connection for bladder cancer was remanded as it involves exposure to herbicide agents and asbestos.,Service connection for equilibrium problems was also remanded due to its potential secondary relationship with hearing loss and tinnitus.,Service connection for fear of heights was also remanded, likely due to its potential secondary relationship with hearing loss and tinnitus.
The deciding factor: The Veteran withdrew his appeal for an increased rating for PTSD during the April 2019 hearing.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Bilateral Hearing Loss, Bladder Cancer, Equilibrium Problems, Fear of Heights
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 50%
- Decision date
- October 22, 2019
- Citation
- 19180332
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,316 · Granted: 43% (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 19180332.
What this means for you
A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot. It says more about procedure than about whether a claim like this can win.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, warranting a 70% disability rating. The Veteran also met the criteria for a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.
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