The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to service, as there is no evidence of in-service noise exposure or chronic symptoms since service. The Veteran's PTSD was also found not to be directly related to service. As such, service connection for these conditions is denied.
The deciding factor: The VA examination report determined that the current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are less likely than not caused by or the result of an event in military service due to normal hearing at separation from service. The examiner also noted that there was no scientific support for delayed onset noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). For PTSD, the Veteran's symptoms were found to be more related to his current environment and work rather than 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
- December 28, 2017
- Citation
- 1760705
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 1760705.
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.
- 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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