The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current disability is at least in equipoise with his in-service noise exposure. The claim for VA compensation under §1151 for gout and hearing loss was denied due to lack of evidence showing causation.,VA compensation under §1151 for gout and hearing loss was denied as there was no evidence showing that the Veteran's disability was caused by carelessness, negligence, or error in judgment on VA's part.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran’s current bilateral hearing loss is at least in equipoise with his in-service noise exposure and conceded exposure to loud noises during service. The evidence did not establish clear causation of the disability from post-service occupational exposures, but rather attributed it to service.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Gout (claimed as Bilateral Foot Disability)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 11, 2020
- Citation
- 20011510
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 20011510.
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.
- 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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current hearing loss and his active service. The Board noted that while he had complaints of earaches in service, these did not indicate a current disability.
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