The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is denied as not related to service.,A 70 percent rating for PTSD is granted effective July 24, 2013.,Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is remanded due to possible in-service occurrence and current impairment.,Service connection for a heart disability (presumed due to herbicide exposure) is granted as service-connected.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's tinnitus was related to his in-service noise exposure, with no evidence of pre-existing hearing loss or other factors that could explain the onset of symptoms.,There was no evidence of hearing loss during service or within one year post-service discharge. The Veteran’s current hearing impairment is not shown to be due to service.,The VA examiner found the Veteran's PTSD resulted in occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas, warranting a 70 percent rating.,There was no evidence of obstructive sleep apnea during service or within one year post-service discharge. The Veteran’s current diagnosis is presumed due to herbicide exposure.,The heart disability (presumed due to herbicide exposure) was granted as service-connected based on the Veteran's in-service noise exposure and current symptoms.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, obstructive sleep apnea, heart disability (presumed due to herbicide exposure)
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 9, 2020
- Citation
- 20046154
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 20046154.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, finding that there is no competent evidence to support a finding that his current condition began in or as a result of service.
- Granted
The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The issues of foot disability and cardiovascular disorder are remanded for additional development.
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