The Veteran's petition to reopen claims for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss was granted. The Board found new and material evidence supporting these claims, including the Veteran's in-service exposure to noise during his service as an ammo handler. Service connection for tinnitus is granted. However, the claim for bilateral hearing loss remains pending due to insufficient evidence linking current hearing loss to service. The claim for PTSD and depression was denied due to incomplete medical opinions.
The deciding factor: The Board found new and material evidence supporting the Veteran's claims of tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, including his in-service exposure to noise as an ammo handler. However, there is insufficient evidence linking current hearing loss to service.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, an acquired psychiatric disorder to include PTSD and depression
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 29, 2018
- Citation
- 18154251
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 18154251.
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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