The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to a lack of evidence showing the condition was incurred or aggravated during active duty. The Veteran's assertions regarding in-service noise exposure are not supported by contemporaneous medical records, and his current hearing loss is not considered related to service.,The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for prostate cancer, finding that there may be a nexus between the Veteran's reported exposure to chemical defoliants during active duty and his current condition. The Veteran must undergo a VA examination to determine if his prostate cancer is at least as likely as not related to service.
The deciding factor: The Board found no evidence of hearing loss in service or within one year after separation, nor did the Veteran provide credible testimony regarding continuous symptoms since service.,The Board noted that the Veteran's exposure to chemical defoliants during active duty may be a factor in his current prostate cancer diagnosis. However, further examination is needed to determine if there is a causal relationship between his reported exposures and his condition.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, prostate cancer
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 17, 2021
- Citation
- 21015234
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 21015234.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, and PTSD due to additional development of records and examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss claim, specifically needing an addendum opinion from a VA examiner. The Veteran will be asked to provide any missing records and former employers' information.
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