The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for a back disability and granted it. Bilateral hearing loss was not found to be related to service, while pseudofolliculitis barbae is considered new evidence of an existing condition.
The deciding factor: There is no current evidence of a back disability in service or post-service, and the Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss cannot be granted as there is no evidence of hearing loss until many years after separation from service. Pseudofolliculitis barbae was not present in service and has not been documented following retirement.
- Claimed conditions
- Back disability, Bilateral hearing loss, Pseudofolliculitis barbae
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 18, 2012
- Citation
- 1217816
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 1217816.
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 claim for a low back disorder was reopened, and his claims for increased ratings of bilateral knee instability were granted. His hearing loss claim was denied.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection of a back disability, finding that there was no evidence to support a nexus between his current condition and active duty service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeals of the initial ratings for his service-connected chronic cough and bilateral hearing loss are remanded due to procedural errors in the evidentiary record.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral pes planus with hammer toes, hallux valgus and degenerative arthritis, sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and bilateral kidney cysts, rendered him unable to secure or follow gainful employment. The Board granted the TDIU based on these conditions.
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