The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are due to in-service acoustic trauma. Service connection was denied for perforated eardrum as there is no current disability.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran engaged in combat and thus could use lay testimony regarding his in-service noise exposure and current hearing loss and tinnitus, resolving doubt in favor of the Veteran.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss disability, tinnitus, perforated eardrum
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 10, 2018
- Citation
- 18156564
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 18156564.
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.
- 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.
- Granted
The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The issues of foot disability and cardiovascular disorder are remanded for additional development.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran experienced tinnitus during his active duty service.
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