The veteran's service-connected hearing loss and panic disorder are granted, with a rating of 30 percent for panic disorder. The hearing loss is not considered chronic during service or within one year post-service, but the current left ear hearing loss disability is found to be related to service. The veteran's panic disorder results in occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks.
The deciding factor: The VA audiometric examinations showed that the veteran had a significant noise exposure during service, leading to high frequency sensorineural hearing loss in his right ear. However, this was not considered chronic at the time of discharge or within one year post-service. The September 1998 VA examination did not show continuing hearing loss disability as defined by VA regulations. For panic disorder, the veteran's current symptoms and occupational impairment are consistent with a 30 percent rating.
- Claimed conditions
- Hearing Loss, Panic Disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- January 31, 2003
- Citation
- 0302012
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,642 · Granted: 19% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 0302012.
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.
- Dismissed
The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, Major Depression, and Panic Disorder due to his withdrawal of these issues prior to a decision being made.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for hearing loss as there is no current diagnosis of a bilateral hearing disability for VA purposes, and the Veteran did not have a hearing loss disability at any time during or recent to the filing of his claim.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD, panic disorder, major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and ADHD, finding that these conditions had onset during his military service.
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