The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as it was caused by hazardous noise exposure in service.,Service connection for hepatitis C with liver cirrhosis is denied because there is no evidence of onset or causation during service and the Veteran did not have a current diagnosis prior to separation.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss improved during service, but he was exposed to hazardous noise in service. The Board found that his current hearing loss is at least as likely as not related to this exposure.,There is no evidence of hepatitis C or drug use in the service treatment records. The examiner concluded that the Veteran's hepatitis C infection with cirrhosis is less likely than not related to his period of active service.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Hepatitis C with Liver Cirrhosis, Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Acquired Psychiatric Disorder (Adjustment Disorder with Mixed Anxiety and Depressed Mood, Major Depression, Generalized Anxiety Disorder)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 4, 2024
- Citation
- A24029040
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 A24029040.
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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