The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and bilateral hearing loss, finding that his conditions are not related to military service. The Board also denied a TDIU rating due to insufficient combined disability ratings.
The deciding factor: Service connection cannot be granted as the Veteran’s acquired psychiatric disorder is found to be secondary to substance abuse disorders unrelated to service, and his bilateral hearing loss does not meet VA compensation criteria for disability.
- Claimed conditions
- {"condition_name":"Acquired psychiatric disorder (including depression, substance abuse, and substance-induced mood disorder)"}, {"condition_name":"Bilateral hearing loss"}
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 28, 2020
- Citation
- 20081231
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
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This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.