The Board denied increased ratings for several service-connected conditions, granted a 50% rating for unspecified trauma and stressor-related disorder, and granted an effective date of October 11, 2021, for the award of total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) and Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA).
The deciding factor: The evidence did not support increased ratings for most conditions due to the lack of specific symptoms or findings that warranted higher ratings.
- Claimed conditions
- hypertension associated with herbicide exposure, coronary artery disease (CAD), bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, unspecified trauma and stressor-related disorder, right ankle sprain (claimed as ankle pain), obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 1, 2025
- Citation
- A25057027
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 878 · 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 A25057027.
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.
- 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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, arthritis, and memory loss. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
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