The Board denied the veteran's claims for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and an increased rating for tinnitus, as well as remanded the claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder to correct a pre-decisional duty to assist error.
The deciding factor: The evidence of record does not support the assignment of a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss or an increased rating for tinnitus. The VA examiner found that the Veteran's currently diagnosed adjustment disorder, unspecified, was less likely than not incurred in or caused by service and did not address the theory of secondary service connection.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral hearing loss, Tinnitus, Acquired psychiatric disorder (adjustment disorder, unspecified)
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 27, 2025
- Citation
- A25028448
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, as there was no evidence of a current disability in the right ear and insufficient evidence to establish a nexus between the left ear hearing loss and service.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to in-service noise exposure.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the matter for a medical clarification regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected epilepsy has aggravated his bilateral hearing loss.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss to obtain an addendum opinion addressing the Veteran's lay statements regarding in-service acoustic trauma and a rocket blast injury.
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