The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been reopened and is now being reviewed on the merits. The Board finds new evidence received since the May 2012 denial relates to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim, raising a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.
The deciding factor: New evidence includes lay statements from the Veteran and his wife indicating possible service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to in-service noise exposure without hearing protection. The Board finds this new evidence material as it relates to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim (whether current hearing loss is related to service).
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 3, 2019
- Citation
- 19124929
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 withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including bilateral hearing loss and various musculoskeletal issues, as well as an initial rating in excess of 0 percent for rhinitis. However, the Board granted a 70 percent rating for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- Partly granted
The Veteran's tinnitus is granted, while fibromyalgia, internal or external hemorrhoids, bilateral hearing loss, and neuropathy are denied.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding it at least as likely as not related to the Veteran's in-service noise exposure.
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