The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connection due to exposure to noise during active duty.,Service connection for GERD with dysphagia is granted based on in-service complaints and post-service treatment records linking the condition to his military service following September 11, 2001.,The Veteran's claim for liver disability has been withdrawn by the Veteran.,Bilateral hearing loss disability remains pending as a remanded issue.
The deciding factor: Service connection is granted based on the preponderance of evidence showing tinnitus had its onset during active service and continues to manifest as recurrent tinnitus to a compensable degree.,The Veteran's GERD with dysphagia are related to his military service following September 11, 2001, due to exposure at Ground Zero. The post-service treatment records support this finding.,The Veteran withdrew the claim for liver disability by explicitly stating he wanted it withdrawn during a videoconference hearing before the Board.,Bilateral hearing loss remains pending as there is insufficient evidence to determine if service connection can be granted.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), dysphagia, liver disability
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 1, 2020
- Citation
- 20044399
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 20044399.
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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