The Veteran's service connection for bilateral hearing loss, adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood (psychiatric disability), tinnitus, chronic sinusitis, lumbosacral strain with levoconvex midthoracic scoliosis (lumbar spine disability), right shoulder dislocation with rotator cuff tendonitis and shoulder strain (right shoulder disability), left shoulder strain with rotator cuff tendonitis (left shoulder disability), right knee strain with patellofemoral pain syndrome (right knee disability), left knee strain with patellofemoral pain syndrome (left knee disability), right ankle sprain with lateral collateral ligament injury (right ankle disability), and left ankle sprain with lateral collateral ligament injury (left ankle disability) has been granted. The effective date for these decisions is November 28, 2022.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service connection claims were granted based on the evidence showing a current diagnosis of each condition and a link to service or service-connected conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Adjustment Disorder with Mixed Anxiety and Depressed Mood (Psychiatric Disability), Tinnitus, Chronic Sinusitis, Lumbosacral Strain with Levoconvex Midthoracic Scoliosis (Lumbar Spine Disability), Right Shoulder Dislocation with Rotator Cuff Tendonitis and Shoulder Strain (Right Shoulder Disability), Left Shoulder Strain with Rotator Cuff Tendonitis (Left Shoulder Disability), Right Knee Strain with Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (Right Knee Disability), Left Knee Strain with Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (Left Knee Disability), Right Ankle Sprain with Lateral Collateral Ligament Injury (Right Ankle Disability), Left Ankle Sprain with Lateral Collateral Ligament Injury (Left Ankle Disability)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 70%
- Decision date
- January 27, 2026
- Citation
- A26007707
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 A26007707.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected. The claims for alcohol abuse and psychiatric disorder are remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The issue remains under direct service connection theory.
- Denied
The Veteran's hearing loss was rated at 30 percent, the highest non-compensable rating available. The Board found that his hearing loss did not warrant a higher rating based on VA examinations and medical records.
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