The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD with unspecified depressive disorder, IBS, tinnitus, left ankle sprain, and right ear hearing loss, do not render him unemployable as his employment history shows he has been able to maintain some level of education and work experience. The Board finds the evidence does not demonstrate total occupational impairment associated with these disabilities.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service-connected conditions cause some interference in daily life but do not prevent him from obtaining or retaining substantially gainful employment.
- Claimed conditions
- posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with unspecified depressive disorder, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), tinnitus, left ankle sprain, right ear hearing loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- December 1, 2020
- Citation
- A20017759
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,858 · Granted: 24% (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 A20017759.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, arthritis, and memory loss. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The issues of foot disability and cardiovascular disorder are remanded for additional development.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran experienced tinnitus during his active duty service.
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