The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, acute maxillary sinusitis, rhinitis, right leg fungus, left leg fungus, tinea pedis of the right foot, tinea pedis of the left foot, and an acquired psychiatric disorder have been granted. The effective dates are not specified as they were all granted in a June 2018 rating decision.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service records show exposure to environmental contaminants during his Southwest Asia service, which is presumed to be associated with certain conditions including asthma (which includes sinusitis and rhinitis). The claims for these conditions are therefore presumed to be related to service.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Acute Maxillary Sinusitis, Rhinitis, Right Leg Fungus, Left Leg Fungus, Tinea Pedis of the Right Foot, Tinea Pedis of the Left Foot, Acquired Psychiatric Disorder (Adjustment Disorder with Mood Disorder, PTSD, and Alcohol Use Disorder), Multiple Joint Pain (Nonspecific)
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 28, 2022
- Citation
- 22018276
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 22018276.
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 Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected. The claims for alcohol abuse and psychiatric disorder are remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The issue remains under direct service connection theory.
- Denied
The Veteran's hearing loss was rated at 30 percent, the highest non-compensable rating available. The Board found that his hearing loss did not warrant a higher rating based on VA examinations and medical records.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current hearing loss and his active service. The Board noted that while he had complaints of earaches in service, these did not indicate a current disability.
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