The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is a reasonable possibility of a link between his current conditions and in-service noise exposure. The decision also acknowledges that the evidence does not definitively establish service connection but finds it sufficient to grant the claims.
The deciding factor: The Board found that while the medical opinions were flawed due to reliance on the absence of hearing loss during service, the overall evidence supports a nexus between current hearing loss and tinnitus and in-service noise exposure. Given this, with reasonable doubt resolved in favor of the Veteran, service connection is granted for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 1, 2018
- Citation
- 18107270
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 18107270.
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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