The Board denied service connection for alcohol use disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and a right ankle disorder. However, it granted an increased initial rating of 40 percent for the Veteran's service-connected lumbosacral strain.
The deciding factor: The evidence was not persuasive in favor of finding that the Veteran's alcohol use disorder, bilateral hearing loss, or right ankle disorder were related to his active military service. However, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor, the Board found that his lumbosacral strain manifested as limitation of forward flexion to 30 degrees.
- Claimed conditions
- alcohol use disorder, bilateral hearing loss, right ankle disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- May 20, 2025
- Citation
- A25045169
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 withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including bilateral hearing loss and various musculoskeletal issues, as well as an initial rating in excess of 0 percent for rhinitis. However, the Board granted a 70 percent rating for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for a liver condition, finding it to be secondary to the Veteran's service-connected depressive disorder.
- Remanded (sent back)
The appeal is remanded for further development and consideration of the Veteran's claims for service connection for various acquired psychiatric disorders.
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