The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have not been found to meet the criteria for service connection as defined by VA regulations.,Service connection has been granted for tinnitus, but only if it is determined that the condition began during active duty or is related to such service.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus do not meet the threshold for a disability under VA regulations. The Board found no evidence of current bilateral hearing loss as defined by VA standards.,Service connection has been granted based on continuity of symptomatology since service, but only if it is determined that the condition began during active duty or is related to such service.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Tinnitus, Degenerative Arthritis of the Lumbar Spine, Degenerative Arthritis of the Bilateral Knees, Bilateral Shoulder Condition
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 15, 2020
- Citation
- A20008650
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 A20008650.
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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