The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no evidence of a nexus between current hearing loss and service, despite noise exposure during service.,Tinnitus was not manifest during service or related to service. The Veteran's tinnitus began in 2004, almost two years after honorable discharge from service.,The Veteran does not have a diagnosed eyesight problem. There is no evidence of an in-service event that could be linked to current eye issues.,Service connection for PTSD with Major Depressive Disorder, Alcohol Use Disorder, and Tobacco Use Disorder is granted based on the Veteran's reported stressors during deployment in Bosnia.
The deciding factor: The weight of the evidence does not support a finding that bilateral hearing loss was caused by service exposure to noise. The separation examination did not show any significant hearing loss.,Tinnitus was first noted after honorable discharge, and there is no credible evidence linking it to service. The Veteran's tinnitus began in 2004, almost two years post-service.,There is insufficient medical evidence to support a diagnosis of an eyesight problem during service or related to service. The Veteran did not have any reported eye issues during his honorable service period.,The Veteran provided credible testimony about stressors that occurred during service in Bosnia, and the VA examiner found these stressors consistent with the circumstances of service.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Tinnitus, Eyesight Problems, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) with Major Depressive Disorder, Alcohol Use Disorder, and Tobacco Use Disorder
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 24, 2024
- Citation
- A24040519
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 A24040519.
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.
- Denied
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.
- 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.
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