The Board has determined that the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is not subject to new and material analysis. The application to reopen a previously denied claim for service connection for a bilateral shoulder disability was successful due to submission of new and material evidence, but the preponderance of medical evidence does not support a finding of service connection.
The deciding factor: The July 1999 VA opinion found it unlikely that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is related to in-service noise exposure. The June 1984 clinical note provided new and material evidence supporting his claim for a bilateral shoulder disability, but did not establish a service connection.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral hearing loss, Bilateral shoulder disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 14, 2000
- Citation
- 0001360
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0001360.
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 Veteran's claim for a low back disorder was reopened, and his claims for increased ratings of bilateral knee instability were granted. His hearing loss claim was denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeals of the initial ratings for his service-connected chronic cough and bilateral hearing loss are remanded due to procedural errors in the evidentiary record.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral pes planus with hammer toes, hallux valgus and degenerative arthritis, sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and bilateral kidney cysts, rendered him unable to secure or follow gainful employment. The Board granted the TDIU based on these conditions.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus) do not prevent him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment.
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