The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been reopened, but the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder remains pending. The Board has also remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea.,Service connection is granted for tinnitus due to in-service noise exposure during combat.
The deciding factor: The new evidence received since the April 2008 rating decision includes a statement from a fellow soldier who recalls being aboard the USS Oklahoma City and engaging in hundreds of naval gunfire support missions, which supports the Veteran's assertion that he experienced tinnitus symptoms during service. The combat presumption applies to his hearing loss claim as well.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Tinnitus, Acquired Psychiatric Disorder (including PTSD, Major Depressive Disorder, and Alcohol Use Disorder), Obstructive Sleep Apnea
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 10, 2019
- Citation
- 19169735
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 19169735.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
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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