The Board denied increased ratings for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and back disability but granted a TDIU. Several service connection claims were remanded.

The deciding factor: The Veteran's symptoms did not meet the criteria for higher ratings due to their severity and impact on daily functioning, while some radiculopathy conditions met the criteria for 20 percent ratings. The service-connected disabilities have precluded him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

Claimed conditions

PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, degenerative disc disease other than intervertebral disc syndrome (back disability), right lower extremity radiculopathy, sciatic nerve, left lower extremity radiculopathy, sciatic nerve, right lower extremity radiculopathy, femoral nerve, left lower extremity radiculopathy, femoral nerve, right ankle sprain (right ankle disability), left ankle sprain (left ankle disability), cervical strain with chronic cervical pain, right elbow osteoarthrosis (right elbow disability), left elbow osteoarthrosis (left elbow disability), right wrist osteoarthrosis (right wrist disability), left wrist osteoarthrosis (left wrist disability), right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, right hip osteoarthrosis (right hip disability), left hip osteoarthrosis (left hip disability), right knee osteoarthritis (right knee disability), left knee osteoarthritis (left knee disability)

How they argued it

Direct service connection

Exposure basis

None

Rating assigned

None in this decision

Decision date

December 10, 2025

Citation

A25106203

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