The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for his back disability is granted with a 20 percent evaluation prior to September 27, 2021 and a 40 percent evaluation from that date. His claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not support the assignment of an increased rating in excess of 40 percent for the Veteran's back disability due to lack of functional limitation or incapacitating episodes meeting criteria for a higher rating under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine. The claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no evidence of record indicating the presence of a bilateral hearing loss disability.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease of the lumber spine (back disability), Bilateral hearing loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- February 4, 2022
- Citation
- 22006486
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 22006486.
What this means for you
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for a low back disorder was reopened, and his claims for increased ratings of bilateral knee instability were granted. His hearing loss claim was denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeals of the initial ratings for his service-connected chronic cough and bilateral hearing loss are remanded due to procedural errors in the evidentiary record.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral pes planus with hammer toes, hallux valgus and degenerative arthritis, sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and bilateral kidney cysts, rendered him unable to secure or follow gainful employment. The Board granted the TDIU based on these conditions.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus) do not prevent him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment.
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