Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted.,Service connection for high blood pressure is denied.,Service connection for PTSD is granted.,Service connection for cluster headaches is granted.,An effective date prior to September 27, 2012 for the award of service connection for depressive disorder is not warranted.
The deciding factor: The Veteran has a current diagnosis of bilateral sensorineural hearing loss that is related to his in-service exposure to aircraft noise. The evidence does not establish a nexus between the disability and his active service.,The Veteran’s blood pressure was measured at least 19 times during active service, with elevated systolic readings appearing in October 1996, November 1996, January 1998, and on separation examination in May 1998. The Veteran was not diagnosed or treated for elevated blood pressure during service.,The Veteran has a current diagnosis of PTSD that is related to three in-service stressors whose occurrence is confirmed by his service treatment records. The VA examiner opined that the Veteran’s PTSD is at least as likely as not related to these incidents.,The Veteran has a current diagnosis of migraine cephalgia and the evidence establishes it is secondary to his service-connected disabilities (PTSD).,There is no indication that the Veteran's depressive disorder is related to his active service. The effective date for the award of service connection for depressive disorder is September 27, 2012.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, high blood pressure, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), cluster headaches
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 15, 2019
- Citation
- 19119080
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,861 · Granted: 27% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19119080.
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 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 case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including bipolar disorder and PTSD. The Veteran will be asked to provide additional medical records and undergo a VA examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, is being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding his alleged stressors.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.