The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss and tinnitus, and increased the rating for postoperative, recurrent, maxillary and ethmoid sinusitis to 10 percent disabling. The claim for an increased rating for residuals of avulsion fracture, left ulna, with traumatic arthritis and bone deformity remains in controversy as it has not been addressed by the RO.
The deciding factor: The evidence submitted since the July 1996 denial was found to be new and material, allowing the veteran's claim for service connection for a left ear hearing loss disability to be reopened. The Board also determined that there is medical evidence linking the current hearing loss disability to the veteran's period of active service. For the sinusitis claims, the Board found no incapacitating episodes or more than six non-incapacitating episodes per year, and thus did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
- Claimed conditions
- Left Ear Hearing Loss, Tinnitus, Postoperative, Recurrent, Maxillary and Ethmoid Sinusitis, Residuals of Avulsion Fracture, Left Ulna with Traumatic Arthritis and Bone Deformity
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- December 12, 2000
- Citation
- 0032402
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 0032402.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for depressive disorder as secondary to hypertension and tinnitus, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an increased rating for hypertension.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, but remanded the claim for degenerative disc disease with degenerative arthritis.
- Partly granted
The Board granted readjudication of previously denied claims for service connection for PTSD and COPD, while remanding other issues including entitlement to service connection for an eye disorder, hypertension, tinnitus, a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, TDIU, and an initial rating for PTSD.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to in-service noise exposure.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.