The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder. However, the Veteran's current acquired psychiatric disability was not incurred in-service and is not related to his active service. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were also not incurred in-service, are not related to his active service, and did not manifest within one year after separation from active service.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found that the Veteran's current acquired psychiatric disorder is less likely than not incurred in or caused by the claimed in-service injury, event, or illness. The examiner noted that the Veteran reported his depressive symptoms were caused by his unemployment and financial situation. As for hearing loss and tinnitus, the November 2010 VA examiner diagnosed the Veteran with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus due to in-service noise exposure from working as security for B-52 bombers on the flight line and helicopter maintenance.
- Claimed conditions
- Acquired Psychiatric Disorder (claimed as PTSD and a nervous disorder), Bilateral Hearing Loss, Tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 14, 2018
- Citation
- 1815348
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 1815348.
What this means for you
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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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