The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability has been reopened and granted. The Board finds that the evidence is at least in equipoise regarding service connection for this condition, resolving reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.,The Veteran's left ankle condition is less likely than not incurred or caused by his military service.
The deciding factor: The December 2010 VA medical opinion concluded that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability was not related to his military service, and the Board finds this opinion of little probative value due to its incorrect presumption regarding the in-service audiogram standards.,The June 2012 and May 2013 VA medical examinations both concluded that the Veteran's left ankle condition is less likely than not incurred or caused by his military service, based on lack of chronicity from active duty.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss Disability, Left Ankle Condition, Right Ankle Condition
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- January 31, 2018
- Citation
- 1806005
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1806005.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus, finding that these conditions are related to his in-service noise exposure.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's right knee, left knee, right ankle, and left ankle conditions as secondary to his service-connected left hip replacement.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left ankle condition is not related to his service, and thus denied his claim for service connection.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to new and relevant evidence received, including VA examinations and opinions that tend to prove or disprove the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder. The cervical spine condition is denied as there was no in-service onset or chronicity.
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