The Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, cervical spine disability, right hip arthritis, left hip arthritis, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and a depressive disorder), right knee disability, and left knee disability have been granted. The claims for service connection for right and left knee disabilities are denied.
The deciding factor: New evidence received since the October 2012 rating decision includes statements from the Veteran regarding his in-service noise exposure, MOS, and ongoing symptoms of neck pain, hip arthritis, and psychiatric disorders, which raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims. The denial for right and left knee disabilities is based on the absence of current diagnoses.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, cervical spine disability, right hip disability, left hip disability, acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and a depressive disorder), right knee disability, left knee disability
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 31, 2020
- Citation
- 20008252
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 withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for tinnitus, cubital tunnel syndrome, right plantar fasciitis, and a right knee disability due to the lack of evidence supporting a nexus between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including bilateral hearing loss and various musculoskeletal issues, as well as an initial rating in excess of 0 percent for rhinitis. However, the Board granted a 70 percent rating for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for various disabilities to the AOJ for further development and consideration of evidence not previously considered.
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