The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current condition is at least as likely as not related to his active military service. Service connection was denied for bilateral hearing loss, hammer toe, low back disability, foot and leg disabilities, and coronary artery disease.
The deciding factor: The August 2014 VA examination report found no evidence of tinnitus during service or within one year after separation from service, but the examiner acknowledged the Veteran's reports of in-service noise exposure. The Board found these statements credible and competent, and concluded that the Veteran's current tinnitus is at least as likely as not related to his active military service.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, bilateral hammer toe, low back disability, bilateral foot disability, bilateral leg disability, coronary artery disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 0%
- Decision date
- August 28, 2018
- Citation
- 18129440
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 18129440.
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 denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
- 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.
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