The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied. The claims for service connection for tinnitus, an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as PTSD), and right biceps strain with scar are granted. Service connection for a low back disorder and residuals of TBI are remanded.
The deciding factor: Service connection cannot be established for the Veteran's claimed bilateral hearing loss due to lack of audiometric evidence meeting VA criteria for hearing loss disability, and no nexus between current hearing loss and service exposure. The Veteran has been diagnosed with tinnitus that began in service and is not related to noise exposure. Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as PTSD) cannot be established as the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of such a condition.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as PTSD), right biceps strain with scar, low back disorder, residuals of a traumatic brain injury (TBI), migraine headaches
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 0%
- Decision date
- October 3, 2018
- Citation
- 18140577
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 18140577.
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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- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for asthma and remanded claims for insomnia and sleep apnea. Other conditions were denied.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
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