The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, cervical spine disorders, radiculopathies of the upper and lower extremities, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, COPD, GERD, gastroparesis, diverticulosis, rhinitis, OSA, left ankle disorder, and left foot disorder have been granted. The claims are based on presumptive service connection due to exposure to noise during service.
The deciding factor: The Veteran was exposed to loud noise (acoustic trauma) during service, which is presumed to cause the current disabilities listed.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, tinnitus, cervical spondylosis and stenosis, lumbar spondylosis and stenosis, right upper extremity cervical radiculopathy, left upper extremity cervical radiculopathy, right lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy, left lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), gastroparesis, diverticulosis, rhinitis, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), left ankle disorder, left foot disorder
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 24, 2026
- Citation
- A26026012
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 A26026012.
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.
- 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.
- Granted
The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The issues of foot disability and cardiovascular disorder are remanded for additional development.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran experienced tinnitus during his active duty service.
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