The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not related to his in-service noise exposure.,Service connection was also granted for an acquired psychiatric disorder including adjustment disorder, but the Board found this condition is not due to disease or injury incurred during active service.
The deciding factor: The VA audiologist and examiner provided medical opinions supporting a link between the Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus with in-service noise exposure. The VA psychiatrist indicated that the adjustment disorder was not related to service, but rather developed after service.,The Board found no evidence of an acquired psychiatric condition during active service and concluded that any such condition is not due to disease or injury incurred therein.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Tinnitus, Innocently Acquired Psychiatric Disorder (Adjustment Disorder)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 3, 2013
- Citation
- 1300239
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 1300239.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to 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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