The Board denied service connection for left ear hearing loss, right ear hearing loss, and tinnitus due to a lack of medical evidence linking these conditions to active duty service.,Specifically, the VA examiner found that the Veteran's preexisting left ear hearing loss did not worsen during service beyond its natural progression. For his right ear hearing loss and tinnitus, there was no credible evidence showing continuity of symptoms from separation until diagnosis.
The deciding factor: The Board determined that the Veteran's preexisting conditions were not aggravated by active duty service and found insufficient medical evidence to establish a link between current hearing loss and tinnitus and military noise exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- Left ear hearing loss, Right ear hearing loss, Tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 31, 2022
- Citation
- 22004924
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 22004924.
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
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The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.
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- Denied
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- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral pes planus with hammer toes, hallux valgus and degenerative arthritis, sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and bilateral kidney cysts, rendered him unable to secure or follow gainful employment. The Board granted the TDIU based on these conditions.
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