The Veteran's application to reopen the previously denied claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been granted. The claims for service connection for myositis, cervical strain (neck disability), spinal stenosis, left knee degenerative arthritis, right knee degenerative arthritis, sinusitis, COPD, edema, GERD, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and nerve disability, an acquired psychiatric disability, and bronchitis have all been denied.
The deciding factor: The preponderance of the evidence is against finding that any of these conditions began during active service or are otherwise related to in-service injury or disease.
- Claimed conditions
- acquired psychiatric disability, bilateral hearing loss, bronchitis, cervical strain (neck disability), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), edema, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), hypertensive vascular disease, left knee degenerative arthritis, myositis (muscle disability), paralysis of the median nerve (bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and nerve disability), right knee degenerative arthritis, sinusitis, spinal stenosis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 20, 2019
- Citation
- 19138894
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 631 · Granted: 21% (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 19138894.
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 claims for bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, and PTSD due to additional development of records and examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss claim, specifically needing an addendum opinion from a VA examiner. The Veteran will be asked to provide any missing records and former employers' information.
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