The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is not service-connected as there was no evidence of a current disability meeting VA criteria for hearing loss, and the examiner found it less likely than not related to service.,Service connection for hepatitis C residuals is denied because the Veteran did not meet the required medical nexus between his in-service exposure and his current condition.
The deciding factor: The December 2019 VA examination report concluded that there was no evidence establishing a nexus between the Veteran’s hearing loss and service, based on the absence of any standard threshold shift at least a year prior to separation from service and significant post-service occupation with exposure to noise.,The examiner found it less likely than not related to service due to the lack of scientific evidence supporting air gun inoculation as a mode of transmission for hepatitis C, given the prevalence of injection drug use as the principal mode of transmission since 1990.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, hepatitis C
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 5, 2020
- Citation
- 20071654
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including bilateral hearing loss and various musculoskeletal issues, as well as an initial rating in excess of 0 percent for rhinitis. However, the Board granted a 70 percent rating for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for hepatitis C, jaundice, hypogeusia, and hyposmia as there was no evidence of a current disability during the pendency of the claim.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's tinnitus is granted, while fibromyalgia, internal or external hemorrhoids, bilateral hearing loss, and neuropathy are denied.
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