The Board granted service connection for bilateral tinnitus, left foot disorder (flatfoot and plantar fasciitis), right foot disorder (flatfoot and plantar fasciitis), left ankle disorder, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, lumbar spine disorder, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy. The claim for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for bilateral hearing loss was denied.

The deciding factor: The evidence of record persuasively favored finding that the Veteran's foot, ankle, knee, lumbar spine, and related disorders were etiologically related to his active duty service, while there was no evidence supporting a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss beyond 20 percent.

Claimed conditions

Bilateral hearing loss, Tinnitus, Left foot disorder (flatfoot and plantar fasciitis), Right foot disorder (flatfoot and plantar fasciitis), Left ankle disorder, Left knee disorder, Right knee disorder, Lumbar spine disorder, Left lower extremity radiculopathy, Right lower extremity radiculopathy

How they argued it

Direct service connection

Exposure basis

None

Rating assigned

20%

Decision date

December 4, 2025

Citation

A25104322

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