The Veteran's service connection for bilateral hearing loss was granted, while claims for other conditions such as chronic fatigue syndrome, headaches, a heart disorder, hypertension, irritable colon syndrome, kidney removal, kidney cancer, liver disorder, lung disorder, renal disease, sleep apnea, stomach disorder, and stress disorder were denied.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not support the presence of current disabilities for most conditions claimed, or a link between service and any diagnosed conditions. For bilateral hearing loss, there was an acknowledgment of in-service acoustic trauma but no significant permanent shift in hearing thresholds from entrance to separation, leading to a grant based on equipoise.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, chronic fatigue syndrome, headaches, heart disorder, hypertension, irritable colon syndrome, kidney, removal of, kidney cancer, liver disorder, lung disorder, renal disease, sleep apnea, stomach disorder, stress disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- March 25, 2025
- Citation
- A25027328
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of October 21, 2021, for the grant of service connection for hypertension.
- Dismissed
The appeal for a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss, service connection for right ear hearing loss, and bilateral vision condition was dismissed. Service connection for hypertension, congestive heart failure, and coronary artery disease was denied.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including prostate cancer and related disabilities, urinary incontinence, sleep apnea, hypertension, varicose veins, lumbar spine disability, hip arthritis, shoulder arthritis, ankle arthritis, knee strain, knee replacement, and hand arthritis. The only condition granted was a 10 percent rating for a fracture of the right proximal first metacarpal.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
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