The Board granted an initial disability rating of 40 percent for lumbosacral strain with intervertebral disc syndrome and earlier effective dates for several service-connected conditions, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not support a finding that the Veteran's hearing loss or tinnitus was related to his military service, while there was sufficient evidence to establish service connection for lumbosacral strain with intervertebral disc syndrome and earlier effective dates for several other conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral hearing loss, Tinnitus, Lumbosacral strain with intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS), Mixed anxiety and depressive disorder, Bilateral plantar fasciitis, Left lower extremity (LLE) peripheral neuropathy, femoral nerve, LLE peripheral neuropathy, sciatic nerve, Right lower extremity (RLE) peripheral neuropathy, femoral nerve, RLE peripheral neuropathy, sciatic nerve, Erectile dysfunction as secondary to service-connected lumbosacral strain with IVDS
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- April 17, 2025
- Citation
- A25035553
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, as there was no evidence of a current disability in the right ear and insufficient evidence to establish a nexus between the left ear hearing loss and service.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to in-service noise exposure.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the matter for a medical clarification regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected epilepsy has aggravated his bilateral hearing loss.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss to obtain an addendum opinion addressing the Veteran's lay statements regarding in-service acoustic trauma and a rocket blast injury.
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