The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder, while denying service connection for hypertension, a left arm disability, a left lower extremity neurological disability, a right lower extremity neurological disability, and left knee pain. The Board also granted ratings of 70%, 10%, and 30% for posttraumatic stress disorder with unspecified depressive disorder, dry eye syndrome, and gastroesophageal reflux disease with irritable bowel syndrome, respectively.

The deciding factor: The decision was based on the presence or absence of a current disability, in-service incurrence or aggravation, and a causal relationship between the current disability and the in-service injury or disease.

Claimed conditions

Bilateral Hearing Loss, Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Disorder, Hypertension, Left Arm Disability, to include left carpal tunnel syndrome and epicondylitis, Left Lower Extremity Neurological Disability, to include radiculopathy or sciatica, Right Lower Extremity Neurological Disability, to include radiculopathy or sciatica, Left Knee Pain, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) with unspecified depressive disorder, Dry Eye Syndrome, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), Right Knee Disability, to include limitation of extension and patellar instability

How they argued it

Direct service connection

Exposure basis

None

Rating assigned

None in this decision

Decision date

April 21, 2025

Citation

A25036253