Service connection for PTSD and right ear hearing loss is granted.,Degenerative arthritis of the spine, right knee meniscal tear, right ankle lateral ligament sprain, left ankle lateral ligament sprain, and left ear hearing loss are all remanded for further review.
The deciding factor: The appellant's PTSD was related to his in-service combat experience, and his current diagnosis is consistent with this history.,Right ear hearing loss is considered a disability due to the presence of auditory threshold values at or above 40 decibels in certain frequencies. The examiner noted no threshold shift between entrance and separation exams.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Right Ear Hearing Loss, Degenerative Arthritis of the Spine, Right Knee Meniscal Tear, Right Ankle Lateral Ligament Sprain, Left Ankle Lateral Ligament Sprain, Left Ear Hearing Loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 21, 2023
- Citation
- 23062056
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 23062056.
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 claim for service connection for PTSD is granted as the evidence shows a current diagnosis of PTSD, an in-service stressor, and a medical link between the two.
- Denied
The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50% since March 23, 2004. The Board found that a higher rating is not warranted prior to February 15, 2005 due to the severity of his symptoms and their impact on his social and occupational functioning.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and any acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his current mental health conditions and his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, warranting a 70% disability rating. The Veteran also met the criteria for a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.
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