The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and a gastrointestinal disability, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, left knee disability, and dermatitis. The Board also granted a rating of 20 percent for the lumbar spine disability.
The deciding factor: The decision was based on credible evidence that the Veteran's tinnitus began in service and his gastrointestinal symptoms had their onset during service, while there was no evidence of a current disability for bilateral hearing loss or left knee disability. The lumbar spine disability met the criteria for a 20 percent rating due to forward flexion limitation.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, bilateral plantar fasciitis, dermatitis, gastrointestinal disability (manifested by acid reflux, bloating, and constipation), left knee disability, lumbar spine disability, tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- April 28, 2025
- Citation
- A25038673
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 3,217 · Granted: 46% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
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 A25038673.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess his bilateral knee and hip disabilities.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
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