The Board has determined that the veteran's right ear hearing loss and low back disability are both service-connected. The decision is based on evidence showing a history of noise exposure during service, which led to current hearing loss, and an injury in service resulting in current degenerative disc disease and degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine.
The deciding factor: The veteran's right ear hearing loss was found to be due to noise exposure during service. The low back disability is attributed to a fall in service that resulted in current degenerative changes, with no evidence of aggravation or other service connection factors.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Ear Hearing Loss, Low Back Disability (Degenerative Disc Disease and Degenerative Joint Disease of the Lumbar Spine with L5-S1 Discectomy and Laminectomies for Spinal Stenosis at L3-4, L4-5, and L5-S1)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- August 31, 2005
- Citation
- 0523997
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0523997.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for right ear hearing loss and a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence to support these claims based on in-service noise exposure or other theories.
- Denied
The Veteran's right ear hearing loss disability was not incurred in service and is less likely than not caused by noise exposure during his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's claims for service connection for HTN and right ear hearing loss were granted. A separate 10% rating was granted for painful limitation of flexion in the bilateral knees, while a denial was issued for an increased rating for central serous choretinopathy and for a rating in excess of 10% for bilateral lateral instability.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's lumbar spine disability, including degenerative arthritis and IVDS, is granted as service-connected.,Service connection for right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, and right knee instability are denied.
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