The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected. The Board finds the evidence at least in equipoise regarding the right and left knee disabilities, but remanded for additional development. Service connection for PTSD is denied due to lack of a confirmed diagnosis by a VA psychiatrist or psychologist.
The deciding factor: Service connection was established based on continuity of symptomatology since service without a specific link to service-connected conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Right Knee Traumatic Arthritis, Right Knee Instability, Left Knee Degenerative Joint Disease, Left Knee Instability, Acquired Psychiatric Disorder (PTSD), Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Back Disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 26, 2024
- Citation
- 24018001
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 24018001.
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.
- 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.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected knee disabilities have been rated and denied for increased ratings, with some conditions receiving specific disability ratings. The Veteran is granted a 60% rating for her total right knee replacement from September 4, 2015 onwards, but the other claims are denied.
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