The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus. The Veteran asserts that he experienced tinnitus since mid-1971 due to exposure to loud engine noise while driving a truck with a refrigeration unit in service. After reviewing the evidence, including a December 2008 private opinion and a November 2008 VA examination, the Board finds it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran's tinnitus was incurred in service.
The deciding factor: The Veteran provided competent lay testimony of experiencing tinnitus since service and using hearing protection post-service. The December 2008 private opinion found a link between military noise exposure and the Veteran's tinnitus, which is considered credible given his history of occupational noise exposure. As such, the Board finds it at least as likely as not that the Veteran's tinnitus was incurred in service.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 24, 2015
- Citation
- 1508051
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 1508051.
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 service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, arthritis, and memory loss. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
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