The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder has been reopened and is granted.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no current disability.,Service connection for tinnitus is granted based on in-service noise exposure and continuity of symptomatology.,Service connection for a cervical spine disability is denied due to lack of evidence of in-service injury or disease, and the absence of any compensable degree of degenerative disc disease within one year of service separation.,Service connection for sleep apnea is denied as there is no in-service incident and no evidence of chronicity.
The deciding factor: New and material evidence was received to reopen the claim, but current hearing loss does not meet VA compensation criteria. Tinnitus has been related to service through continuity of symptomatology.,Cervical spine disability and sleep apnea were denied due to lack of in-service injury or disease and absence of compensable degree within one year of separation.,Service connection for acquired psychiatric disorder is granted based on new evidence relating current symptoms to service.
- Claimed conditions
- acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, cervical spine disability, sleep apnea
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 15, 2018
- Citation
- 18142397
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 18142397.
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
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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