The Board has determined that the veteran's right ear hearing loss is related to exposure to acoustic trauma during service, and grants service connection for this condition. The left ear hearing loss is not shown to be related to service.
The deciding factor: VA audiologist's opinion supported by conversion of audiometric findings from ASA units to ISO units showed a hearing loss in the right ear but not in the left ear at the time of separation, and the veteran did not have a hearing loss for VA purposes prior to 1976.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral defective hearing
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- October 28, 2008
- Citation
- 0837026
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 0837026.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board allowed the benefit or issue identified in this decision. Review the original order: other issues in the same appeal may have a different outcome, and this decision does not predict another claim.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's bilateral defective hearing was rated at 20% prior to April 27, 2010 and increased to 50% thereafter.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral defective hearing warrants a 10 percent evaluation effective from February 27, 2015.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for automobile and adaptive equipment or adaptive equipment only as defined by VA regulations.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's preexisting bilateral defective hearing did not increase in disability during service, and thus denied her claim for service connection.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.