The Veteran's noise and environmental toxin exposure during his active service as a Marine machine gunner in Operation Desert Storm caused him to develop acoustic neuroma/vestibular schwannoma in the left auditory nerve, leading to deafness in the left ear. The Board finds that this condition is related to his military service.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's noise exposure and exposure to toxins such as benzene during Operation Desert Storm are considered risk factors for developing acoustic neuroma/vestibular schwannoma.
- Claimed conditions
- vestibular schwannoma/acoustic neuroma, deafness in the left ear
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 24, 2017
- Citation
- 1709206
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 1709206.
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
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