The Board finds that the veteran's claims for service connection and effective dates are granted. Effective from December 22, 2000, he is entitled to service connection for right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, otitis media, perforation of tympanic membranes (both ears), respiratory disorder (claimed as breathing problems), residuals of rib fractures, sinusitis, and a left shoulder disability.
The deciding factor: The veteran's claims were granted effective from December 22, 2000, the date his original claims for service connection were received.
- Claimed conditions
- right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, otitis media, perforation of tympanic membranes (both ears), respiratory disorder (claimed as breathing problems), rib fractures, sinusitis, left shoulder disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 0%
- Decision date
- May 18, 2004
- Citation
- 0412809
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 0412809.
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 asthma and remanded claims for insomnia and sleep apnea. Other conditions were denied.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including bilateral hearing loss and various musculoskeletal issues, as well as an initial rating in excess of 0 percent for rhinitis. However, the Board granted a 70 percent rating for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including sinusitis, elbows condition, cervical condition, erectile dysfunction, kidney condition, sleep apnea, wrists condition, asthma, shoulders condition, ankles condition, eye condition (bilateral dry macular degeneration), peripheral vascular disease (heart condition), and rhinitis.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 20 percent disability rating for left and right lower extremity radiculopathy from April 3, 2023 onward, but denied higher ratings prior to that date. Service connection was also granted for alcohol use disorder as secondary to PTSD with traumatic brain injury.
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