The veteran has been granted service connection for bilateral Achilles tendonitis, residuals of a right fourth finger injury, and kidney stone (nephrolithiasis). Service connection was denied for bilateral hearing loss.,Service connection is established for the following conditions: bilateral Achilles tendonitis, residuals of a right fourth finger injury, and nephrolithiasis. The veteran's service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss remains pending.
The deciding factor: The veteran has been diagnosed with bilateral Achilles tendonitis, which was first noted in service and continues to cause symptoms. Service connection is granted as the disability is considered incurred during active duty.,Residuals of a right fourth finger injury were also found to be related to service. The veteran's subjective complaints of pain and reduced range of motion are consistent with residuals from an injury sustained during service.,Bilateral hearing loss was not shown by VA standards, as audiometric studies throughout the veteran's military career showed normal hearing. Service connection for this condition is denied.,The veteran has been diagnosed with nephrolithiasis (kidney stone) in service and continues to have symptoms related to this condition. As a chronic disease by definition, service connection is granted.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Achilles Tendonitis, Residuals of a Right Fourth Finger Injury, Bilateral Hearing Loss, Kidney Stone (Nephrolithiasis)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 25, 2008
- Citation
- 0802812
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 0802812.
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.
- 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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current hearing loss and his active service. The Board noted that while he had complaints of earaches in service, these did not indicate a current disability.
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