The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, PTSD with anxiety and depression, coronary artery disease, and ischemic heart disease have been denied. The Veteran's diabetes mellitus has been granted a higher rating of 40 percent from July 9, 2006 to July 21, 2014.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not support the claim that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to service. The VA examiner found no indication of auditory damage in service or at separation, and concluded that his current hearing loss and tinnitus are less likely than not related to service. For PTSD with anxiety and depression, the Board finds credible evidence of a stressor during service. However, for coronary artery disease and ischemic heart disease, there is no diagnosis of these conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Bilateral Tinnitus, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) with Anxiety and Depression, Coronary Artery Disease, Ischemic Heart Disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 40%
- Decision date
- December 30, 2021
- Citation
- 21077645
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 21077645.
What this means for you
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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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