The Board granted a 20 percent initial disability rating for the back, LLE sciatic radiculopathy, and RLE sciatic radiculopathy from July 27, 2018, but denied an increased rating in excess of 20 percent for bilateral hearing loss.
The deciding factor: The Board granted a higher evaluation based on the severity of symptoms shown during flare-ups and repeated use over time, while denying an increased rating due to the lack of evidence showing more severe symptoms warranting a higher rating.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral hearing loss, Back disability (lumbosacral strain with spondylolisthesis), Left lower extremity (LLE) sciatic radiculopathy, Right lower extremity (RLE) sciatic radiculopathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- July 1, 2025
- Citation
- A25056746
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,548 · Granted: 31% (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 A25056746.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for a low back disorder was reopened, and his claims for increased ratings of bilateral knee instability were granted. His hearing loss claim was denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeals of the initial ratings for his service-connected chronic cough and bilateral hearing loss are remanded due to procedural errors in the evidentiary record.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral pes planus with hammer toes, hallux valgus and degenerative arthritis, sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and bilateral kidney cysts, rendered him unable to secure or follow gainful employment. The Board granted the TDIU based on these conditions.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus) do not prevent him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment.
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