The Board granted service connection for a psychiatric disability diagnosed as depressive disorder and a back disability (diagnosed as intervertebral disc syndrome), but denied service connection for right ear hearing loss.
The deciding factor: The evidence was at least approximately balanced regarding the Veteran's claim for entitlement to service connection for a psychiatric disability, and the September 2024 rating decision established service connection for the back disability. However, there is no current right ear hearing loss disability for VA purposes.
- Claimed conditions
- depressive disorder, back disability (diagnosed as intervertebral disc syndrome), right ear hearing loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- June 17, 2025
- Citation
- A25052874
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 appeal for a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss, service connection for right ear hearing loss, and bilateral vision condition was dismissed. Service connection for hypertension, congestive heart failure, and coronary artery disease was denied.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for right ear hearing loss, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor based on a finding of etiological relation to in-service noise exposure.
- Granted
The Board granted a disability rating of 50 percent for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, characterized as depressive disorder, effective May 1, 2017.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including left foot condition, right foot condition, cellulitis, right ear hearing loss, and right lower extremity radiculopathy. The appeal of the proposal to reduce a 40 percent evaluation for lumbosacral strain was dismissed.
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