The Board granted service connection for bilateral foot disabilities and tinnitus, but remanded the claim for entitlement to service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error.
The deciding factor: The March 2024 VA examiner's opinion established a nexus between the Veteran's in-service foot pain while wearing combat boots and his currently diagnosed foot disabilities, as well as a nexus between the Veteran's exposure to hazardous noise during service and his current tinnitus. However, an adequate medical opinion was not obtained for the claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral foot disabilities (to include pes planus, plantar fasciitis, and degenerative arthritis), tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- October 1, 2025
- Citation
- A25084460
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