The Veteran's right hand, left hand, right foot, and left foot cold weather injury residuals are all granted as service connected.,His degenerative arthritis of the spine is also granted as service connected.,Bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are both granted as service connected.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's current disabilities (right hand, left hand, right foot, and left foot cold weather injury residuals) are related to his in-service exposure to cold weather conditions. The Board found the weight of evidence indicated these conditions were caused by service.,For degenerative arthritis of the spine, the Board concluded that it is at least as likely as not due to the Veteran's in-service back injuries and duties.,Regarding bilateral hearing loss, the Board determined that his current disability was related to military noise exposure during service. The evidence was in equipoise on this point.,For tinnitus, the Board found credible the Veteran's testimony that it began during service and has continued since then.
- Claimed conditions
- right hand cold weather injury residuals, left hand cold weather injury residuals, right foot cold weather injury residuals, left foot cold weather injury residuals, degenerative arthritis of the spine, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 19, 2022
- Citation
- 22047192
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 22047192.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
- 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.
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