The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and higher initial disability ratings of 70%, 40%, and 20% for PTSD, back disability, and left lower extremity radiculopathy respectively. The claims for higher ratings for right hip limitations and eye photophobia were denied.

The deciding factor: The Board granted service connection based on in-service loud noise exposure (acoustic trauma) and assigned higher initial disability ratings where the evidence supported a more severe level of impairment than initially rated.

Claimed conditions

Bilateral hearing loss, Posttraumatic stress disorder with somatic symptom disorder and alcohol use disorder (PTSD), Lumbosacral strain with intervertebral disc syndrome and kyphosis (back disability), Left lower extremity radiculopathy, Left knee strain, Right knee strain, Right hip limitation of adduction, Right hip limitation of extension, Right hip limitation of flexion, Bilateral eye photophobia

How they argued it

Direct service connection

Exposure basis

None

Rating assigned

None in this decision

Decision date

November 19, 2025

Citation

A25100649

Want to see how appeals like this one tend to go? Appeals like mine