The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no current disability meeting VA compensation criteria for hearing loss in either ear. The left ear hearing loss was not shown to be aggravated by service, and the right ear hearing loss did not meet the threshold for a recognized disability under 38 C.F.R. § 3.385. Tinnitus was also not shown to have been incurred during service.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there was no evidence of current disabilities meeting VA compensation criteria, and that any preexisting hearing loss in the left ear did not show aggravation by service. The right ear hearing loss did not meet the threshold for a recognized disability under 38 C.F.R. § 3.385. Tinnitus was not shown to have been incurred during service.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 2, 2009
- Citation
- 0920450
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 0920450.
What this means for you
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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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