The claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a psychiatric disorder have been reopened, but the merits of these claims are still pending. The Board has ordered new VA examinations to address the Veteran's assertions regarding in-service noise exposure and effectiveness of available hearing protection.
The deciding factor: New evidence submitted by the Veteran includes statements from his wife describing ongoing mental health issues following service, as well as lay testimony about incidents of in-service noise exposure and ineffective ear protection. These factors require a new VA examination to address their impact on the claims.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Psychiatric Disorder (including Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Anxiety, Depression, and Adjustment Disorder)
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 15, 2020
- Citation
- 20079111
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 20079111.
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.
- 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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