The deciding factor: The VA examiner diagnosed sensorineural hearing loss in both ears due to service-connected tinnitus and noise exposure during service. The Board finds that the current right and left ear hearing loss is the result of the in-service exposure to acoustic trauma, granting direct service connection. For allergic rhinitis, the Veteran's nasal passages are found to have greater than 50 percent obstruction on both sides without polyps, warranting a 10% rating under Diagnostic Code 6522.
- Claimed conditions
- Right ear sensorineural hearing loss, Left ear sensorineural hearing loss, Allergic rhinitis, Right knee degenerative joint disease (right knee disability), Obstructive sleep apnea, Acquired psychiatric disorder, to include posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety disorder, and depression
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- October 10, 2019
- Citation
- 19177951
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for chronic headaches, CFS, dermatosis, bilateral RLS, a lumbar spine disability, and sleep apnea but denied a compensable evaluation for allergic rhinitis.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, finding a causal relationship between the condition and an in-service incident of military sexual trauma (MST).
- Denied
The appeal for higher ratings and effective dates for various conditions was denied, with the exception of left and right lower extremity radiculopathy which were granted an earlier effective date.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a low back disability, residuals of a right foot injury, sinusitis, shortness of breath, allergic rhinitis, and sleep apnea as there was no evidence to support a link between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.
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