The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied, while his TDIU claim was granted effective January 28, 2016.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not support a higher rating for the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, but it supported that he could no longer secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral hearing loss, Degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis, Right knee osteoarthritis, Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Left lower extremity radiculopathy, Right lower extremity radiculopathy, Right knee instability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 12, 2025
- Citation
- 25002149
Veterans Law Judge
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 25002149.
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
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 a low back disorder was reopened, and his claims for increased ratings of bilateral knee instability were granted. His hearing loss claim was denied.
- Granted
The Board has granted effective dates of July 10, 2024 for service connection for PTSD, lumbar strain, and left lower extremity radiculopathy.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal for service connection for Dupuytren's contracture of the left hand, right hand, and GERD is remanded due to inadequate VA examination opinions and failure to consider toxic exposure risk activities during service.
- Denied
The Veteran's GERD is currently rated at 10 percent disabling, but the Board found that his symptoms do not meet or approximate the criteria for a higher rating.
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