The Board granted service connection for right ear and left ear sensorineural hearing loss, finding that the evidence is at least in approximate balance that these conditions are related to the Veteran's military service.
The deciding factor: The April 2024 VA examination was more persuasive than the September 2024 VA examination as it considered the Veteran's lay statements and his MOS, which has a high probability of noise exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- right ear sensorineural hearing loss, left ear sensorineural hearing loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- April 22, 2025
- Citation
- A25036918
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for right ear sensorineural hearing loss to obtain additional medical evidence regarding its etiology, including considering the Veteran's presumed in-service toxic exposure risk activities.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's left ear sensorineural hearing loss was granted, while the claims for right ear hearing loss, thoracolumbar spine condition, cervical strain, and right lower extremity radiculopathy were denied.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an initial increased disability evaluation rating of 40 percent for service-connected left and right lower extremity radiculopathy, sciatic. The other issues were remanded.
- Partly granted
The Board denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus and remanded the claim for a compensable rating for left ear sensorineural hearing loss due to an unperformed VA examination.
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