The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected, with the Board finding that it is at least as likely as not related to in-service hazardous noise exposure.,The Veteran's pseudofolliculitis barbae remains under consideration for a higher rating. The VA has been instructed to provide an addendum opinion addressing whether topical corticosteroid medications used to treat his skin condition constitute systemic therapy.
The deciding factor: Service connection was granted for bilateral hearing loss as the evidence is at least in equipoise regarding its onset during service and its relation to noise exposure.,The Veteran's pseudofolliculitis barbae remains under consideration for a higher rating, with the VA instructed to provide an addendum opinion addressing whether topical corticosteroid medications used to treat his skin condition constitute systemic therapy.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Pseudofolliculitis Barbae
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 27, 2021
- Citation
- 21076707
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 21076707.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
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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