The appeal for a compensable disability rating for service-connected bilateral hearing loss during the period on appeal was denied. The appeals for an increased disability rating and service connection were remanded.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the audiometric testing did not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation, and there was no evidence of an exceptional pattern of hearing impairment. Additional development is required for the other issues due to conflicting reports and unclear symptomology related to head trauma.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral hearing loss, Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with generalized anxiety and other specified depressive disorders, Rib fracture residual pain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 28, 2025
- Citation
- A25047131
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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an effective date of May 17, 2019, for a 70 percent disability rating for PTSD but denied earlier effective dates for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.
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