The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss claim is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability and the medical opinions indicate that it is less likely than not related to service.,The Veteran's back disability (Degenerative Disc Disease with Lumbar Stenosis) claim is granted as the VA examiner opined that it was as likely as not caused by or a result of his military service.,The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder) claim is granted as the VA examiner opined that it was as likely as not related to his military service.
The deciding factor: The medical opinions indicate that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is less likely than not caused by or a result of his military service, given the absence of any specific indication of hearing loss until after service and the amount of time that passed between service and the first complaint of record.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Back Disability (Degenerative Disc Disease with Lumbar Stenosis), Acquired Psychiatric Disorder (PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 21, 2011
- Citation
- 1111281
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 1111281.
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.
- 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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