The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an acquired psychiatric disorder, but denied reopening of the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is granted based on new evidence showing a continuity of symptoms since service.
The deciding factor: New evidence shows that the Veteran had at least one episode of psychosis during service and has experienced ongoing symptomatology since then, raising a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Acquired Psychiatric Disorder
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 20, 2012
- Citation
- 1243516
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 1243516.
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and any acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his current mental health conditions and his military service.
- 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.
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