The Veteran's service connection claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder and right ear hearing loss have been reopened. Service connection for right ear hearing loss has been granted with a 20% rating. The lumbar spine disability is rated at 20%, while the left ankle disability is rated at 10%. Other issues are remanded.
The deciding factor: The evidence raised a reasonable possibility of substantiating the service connection claims for right ear hearing loss and an acquired psychiatric disorder, leading to their reopening. The lumbar spine disability meets criteria for a 20% rating based on forward flexion limited to 40 degrees.
- Claimed conditions
- Acquired psychiatric disorder, Right ear hearing loss, Lumbar spine disability, Left ankle disability
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- January 10, 2023
- Citation
- 23001334
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 899 · Granted: 45% (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 23001334.
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A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot.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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a low back disability and an increased rating for his acquired psychiatric disorder. The Board found that there was no evidence linking the current disabilities to military service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for a determination on whether injuries sustained in a November 2001 incident were in the line of duty. The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is also remanded due to its interdependence with the line of duty issue.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to insufficient evidence and need for additional examinations.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for a right ear hearing loss disability is dismissed. The appeal for service connection for bilateral knee disabilities is denied.
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