The Board granted a 30 percent initial rating for bilateral hearing loss, effective July 11, 2016, and denied service connection for arthritis.
The deciding factor: The evidence was persuasive that the Veteran's current arthritis did not manifest to a compensable degree within one year of his separation from active service in January 1970 and is instead due to age-related degenerative changes. For bilateral hearing loss, the functional impairment reflected by November 2017 audiometric testing has at least as likely as not been present throughout the applicable rating period based on the effective date of service connection for bilateral hearing loss.
- Claimed conditions
- arthritis, bilateral hearing loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- July 10, 2025
- Citation
- 25009040
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the appeal to obtain a VA medical opinion that considers the Veteran's contentions of in-service training with heavy gear and equipment.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including bilateral hearing loss and various musculoskeletal issues, as well as an initial rating in excess of 0 percent for rhinitis. However, the Board granted a 70 percent rating for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- Partly granted
The Veteran's tinnitus is granted, while fibromyalgia, internal or external hemorrhoids, bilateral hearing loss, and neuropathy are denied.
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