The Veteran's right ear hearing loss disability was incurred in service and is granted. The left ear hearing loss disability and bilateral shoulder disorder are not attributable to service.
The deciding factor: Service treatment records show normal hearing at separation, but the Veteran reported first noticing hearing problems four to five years after leaving active duty. VA and private medical evidence supports a finding of noise-induced hearing loss in the right ear.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Ear Hearing Loss Disability, Bilateral Shoulder Disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 18, 2010
- Citation
- 1010312
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 1010312.
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 tinnitus and left ear hearing loss disability, but remanded the issue of a compensable rating for right ear hearing loss. The increased rating claim for IVDS was withdrawn by the Veteran.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for a right ear hearing loss disability and a left ear hearing loss disability for further development, including obtaining additional VA examination opinions.
- Granted
The Board granted earlier effective dates of February 1, 2021, for the awards of service connection and secondary service connection for various disabilities.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including TBI, migraine headache disorder, bilateral shoulder disorder, and others, as the evidence did not support a finding of current disability or nexus to service.
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