Service connection for tinnitus is granted.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.,Service connection for a foot disability, to include flat feet, is denied.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's tinnitus was noted in service and has continued since then. The Board found that the Veteran experienced noise exposure during service which could have caused his current tinnitus. However, the VA examiner's opinion regarding the cause of the tinnitus was deemed inadequate due to its reliance on the absence of contemporaneous treatment records and disregard for the Veteran's reports of symptoms in service.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, foot disability (to include bilateral flat feet)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 7, 2023
- Citation
- 23065060
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 23065060.
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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