The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss disability is related to acoustic trauma sustained during active service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.
The deciding factor: The Veteran reported experiencing decreased hearing acuity in service and continued symptoms since then, which was corroborated by his medical records. The VA examiner initially found against a link between the current hearing loss and service exposure but acknowledged the Veteran's credibility regarding symptom onset and continuity.
- Claimed conditions
- left ear hearing loss disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 30, 2018
- Citation
- 18106337
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 18106337.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's claims for service connection have been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for left ear hearing loss disability is dismissed. The Board has remanded the claims for service connection of left and right knee disabilities due to a lack of medical nexus opinions regarding pre-service conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions regarding service connection for a left ear hearing loss disability. The Veteran's pre-existing condition is presumed, and the VA examiner needs to provide an opinion on whether the increase in severity of his hearing loss during service was clearly and unmistakably due to natural progression.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and hearing loss disability required hospitalization at a VA Medical Center for more than 21 days, leading to the grant of a temporary total evaluation. Service connection was also granted for left ear nerve damage.
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