The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, acquired psychiatric disorders including anxiety and depression with PTSD, foot pain (plantar fasciitis), and back condition are all granted. The claim for increased rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to September 23, 2020 is denied.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service treatment records did not document any complaints or diagnoses related to the conditions in question. However, his statements regarding his experiences during service and post-service medical history were consistent with the diagnosed conditions. The VA examiners provided opinions supporting a link between the current conditions and service.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, anxiety disorder, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), foot pain (plantar fasciitis), back condition
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 0%
- Decision date
- April 19, 2024
- Citation
- 24016888
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 24016888.
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 case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including bipolar disorder and PTSD. The Veteran will be asked to provide additional medical records and undergo a VA examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, is being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding his alleged stressors.
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