The Veteran's service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss was denied. The Board found no current diagnosis of hearing loss and the evidence did not support a finding that his hearing loss began during or is related to service.,Service connection for allergic rhinitis and sinusitis was granted based on presumed exposure to burn pits in Southwest Asia, as part of the PACT Act.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's STRs were incomplete, making it difficult to determine if he had a current diagnosis of hearing loss or if his hearing loss began during service.,The Veteran served in Southwest Asia and was presumed exposed to burn pits. His STRs did not show any complaints related to allergic rhinitis or sinusitis, but the PACT Act allows for presumptive service connection based on exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Allergic Rhinitis, Sinusitis, Headaches (caused by sinusitis and PTSD)
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- Burn pits / airborne hazards
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 5, 2023
- Citation
- A23034606
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 A23034606.
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
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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