The veteran's bilateral hearing loss was determined to be service-connected, while tinnitus and a back disorder were not. The decision granted service connection for the hearing loss.
The deciding factor: Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was established based on credible evidence of in-service acoustic trauma and current audiometric findings consistent with such exposure. Tinnitus and a back disorder were denied due to lack of evidence linking them directly to service or showing onset during service.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral hearing loss, Tinnitus, Back disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- January 6, 2009
- Citation
- 0900361
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
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 claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, as there was no evidence of a current disability in the right ear and insufficient evidence to establish a nexus between the left ear hearing loss and service.
- 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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the matter for a medical clarification regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected epilepsy has aggravated his bilateral hearing loss.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss to obtain an addendum opinion addressing the Veteran's lay statements regarding in-service acoustic trauma and a rocket blast injury.
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