The Board has dismissed the issue of entitlement to a compensable rating for scars status post staph aureus abscesses of the right arm and right infra axilla area. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted service connection, with the latter being remanded due to lack of evidence regarding in-service stressor allegations.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there was reasonable doubt as to whether the Veteran’s hearing loss and tinnitus were related to his military service, thus granting service connection for these conditions. The issue of entitlement to a compensable rating for scars status post staph aureus abscesses of the right arm and right infra axilla area has been dismissed due to withdrawal by the Veteran.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 3, 2020
- Citation
- 20037854
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 20037854.
What this means for you
A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot. It says more about procedure than about whether a claim like this can win.
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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