The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no current disability for VA compensation purposes due to lack of evidence of a right ear hearing loss disability as defined by VA regulations. For left ear hearing loss, the Board found that while the Veteran had in-service noise exposure, his considerable post-service occupational and recreational noise exposure outweighed this factor. The Board also noted that there was no medical documentation of complaints or treatment for hearing loss during service, but the Veteran's lay statements were considered credible.,For tinnitus, the Board found that the Veteran reported a 45-year history of tinnitus starting while serving aboard the USS Lexington and attributed it to noise exposure. The examiner opined that it was as likely as not associated with his hearing loss.
The deciding factor: The preponderance of evidence did not support service connection for bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus due to lack of current disability for VA compensation purposes, post-service occupational and recreational noise exposure outweighing in-service noise exposure, and the absence of medical documentation of complaints or treatment 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
- April 25, 2017
- Citation
- 1713368
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 1713368.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
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.
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.