The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been presented to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The veteran engaged in combat with the enemy during his military service, experienced changes in hearing during service, and provided credible testimony regarding exposure to noise during service. A private physician opined that the veteran's moderate to severe neurosensory hearing loss is likely as not due to his combat and military service noise exposure. Therefore, the claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss with tinnitus is granted.
The deciding factor: The Board found credible evidence linking the veteran's current hearing disability to his military service, including his reported in-service noise exposure during combat.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 13, 2000
- Citation
- 0027231
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 0027231.
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 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.
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