The Veteran's service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied. The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence does not support a finding of current bilateral hearing loss disability.,Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to service-connected sinusitis with headaches is granted. The Board resolves reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service treatment records do not show any complaints, findings, or diagnoses of hearing loss. Post-service audiometric testing did not reveal a current bilateral hearing loss disability as defined by VA standards.,The Veteran has been found to have obstructive sleep apnea that is proximately due to his service-connected sinusitis with headaches.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Radiculopathy of the Right Upper Extremity, Radiculopathy of the Left Upper Extremity, Degenerative Joint Disease of the Hips, Degenerative Joint Disease of the Knees, Gastrointestinal Disorder (to include GERD), Erectile Dysfunction, Psychiatric Disorder (to include Depressive Disorder and Anxiety Disorder)
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 7, 2020
- Citation
- 20023781
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 20023781.
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
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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