The Veteran's service connection claim for chronic hypertension is granted. His bilateral hearing loss and stress fracture of the left tibia with bone spur removal are each rated as noncompensable, but his trigeminal neuralgia warrants a separate evaluation of at least 10 percent.
The deciding factor: Service connection was established for chronic hypertension based on in-service onset during ACDUTRA. Bilateral hearing loss and stress fracture were not service connected due to lack of evidence showing aggravation beyond the preexisting condition, while trigeminal neuralgia warranted a separate evaluation as it met criteria for a distinct disability.
- Claimed conditions
- chronic hypertension, bilateral hearing loss, degenerative disc disease (DDD) of the lumbar spine, stress fracture of the left tibia with removal of bone spur, trigeminal neuralgia
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 3, 2011
- Citation
- 1141040
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 1141040.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, and PTSD due to additional development of records and examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss claim, specifically needing an addendum opinion from a VA examiner. The Veteran will be asked to provide any missing records and former employers' information.
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