The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disability, including PTSD with anxiety and depression, bilateral hearing loss, degenerative disc and joint disease of the lumbar spine with muscle spasms, cervical spine, left knee arthritis, right knee arthritis, and left lower extremity varicose veins are all granted. The service connection is determined to be direct.
The deciding factor: The evidence supports a finding that these conditions were incurred during or are otherwise related to the Veteran's active duty service.
- Claimed conditions
- Acquired Psychiatric Disability, to include PTSD with anxiety and depression, Bilateral Hearing Loss, Degenerative Disc and Joint Disease of the Lumbar Spine with Muscle Spasms, Degenerative Disc and Joint Disease of the Cervical Spine, Left Knee Arthritis, Right Knee Arthritis, Left Lower Extremity Varicose Veins
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 7, 2023
- Citation
- A23035033
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 A23035033.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected. The claims for alcohol abuse and psychiatric disorder are remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for a higher rating prior to August 12, 2013 was denied as his right knee disability did not meet the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 5003.,The Veteran's claim for a higher rating from April 1, 2016 was denied as he is already receiving the maximum allowable disability rating of 60 percent for total right knee replacement.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The issue remains under direct service connection theory.
- Denied
The Veteran's hearing loss was rated at 30 percent, the highest non-compensable rating available. The Board found that his hearing loss did not warrant a higher rating based on VA examinations and medical records.
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