The Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, GERD (secondary to PTSD), bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are all granted. However, the Veteran's claim for service connection for lumbar spine disability is denied as there is no evidence of a chronic condition during or within one year after service.
The deciding factor: The Board found that while the Veteran was exposed to noise in service, he did not have hearing loss at separation and his current left ear hearing loss does not meet VA's definition for hearing loss. The Board also noted that there is no evidence of a chronic lumbar spine disability during or within one year after service.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), Bilateral Hearing Loss, Tinnitus, Lumbar Spine Disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 9, 2009
- Citation
- 0938488
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 0938488.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted as the evidence shows a current diagnosis of PTSD, an in-service stressor, and a medical link between the two.
- Denied
The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50% since March 23, 2004. The Board found that a higher rating is not warranted prior to February 15, 2005 due to the severity of his symptoms and their impact on his social and occupational functioning.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and any acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his current mental health conditions and his military service.
- 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.
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