The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that it is at least as likely as not caused by an in-service explosion. However, the claim for service connection for eye disability (including cataracts and a detached retina) was denied due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.,The veteran's current vision problems are believed to have developed many years after his military service.
The deciding factor: There is no clear evidence that the veteran's current eye disabilities, including bilateral cataracts and left retinal detachment, were caused by an in-service injury or exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Eye Disability (including bilateral cataracts and left retinal detachment)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 30, 2004
- Citation
- 0427239
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 0427239.
What this means for you
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected. The claims for alcohol abuse and psychiatric disorder are remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The issue remains under direct service connection theory.
- Denied
The Veteran's hearing loss was rated at 30 percent, the highest non-compensable rating available. The Board found that his hearing loss did not warrant a higher rating based on VA examinations and medical records.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current hearing loss and his active service. The Board noted that while he had complaints of earaches in service, these did not indicate a current disability.
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