The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's left knee disability (arthritis) and right shoulder disability (rotator cuff tear and arthritis) are also granted as service-connected.
The deciding factor: The Board found credible the Veteran’s reports of in-service noise exposure, which likely resulted in acoustic trauma. The evidence established current disabilities for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, with competent medical opinions linking these conditions to his active service.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Tinnitus, Left Knee Disability (Arthritis), Right Shoulder Disability (Rotator Cuff Tear and Arthritis)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 25, 2019
- Citation
- 19188723
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 19188723.
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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to in-service noise exposure.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD, entitlement to TDIU, and SMC based on housebound status.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an effective date of May 17, 2019, for a 70 percent disability rating for PTSD but denied earlier effective dates for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.
- Partly granted
The Board granted readjudication of previously denied claims for service connection for PTSD and COPD, while remanding other issues including entitlement to service connection for an eye disorder, hypertension, tinnitus, a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, TDIU, and an initial rating for PTSD.
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