The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is not service-connected as it was present at the time of enlistment and did not increase in severity during his ACDUTRA period. However, the Veteran's tinnitus is service-connected as it is related to noise exposure during his ACDUTRA service.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found no evidence of aggravation of the pre-existing hearing loss disability during the ACDUTRA period and the Veteran did not provide any medical evidence showing an increase in severity. The tinnitus, however, was linked to the Veteran's noise exposure during his ACDUTRA service.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 2, 2018
- Citation
- 18123742
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 18123742.
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 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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