The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted service connection, as they are related to in-service noise exposure.,Peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities has also been granted service connection, as it is presumed to be related to herbicide agent exposure during active duty.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's current disabilities (bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, peripheral neuropathy) are linked to in-service noise exposure for hearing loss and to herbicide agent exposure for the neuropathies.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Tinnitus, Peripheral Neuropathy of the Left Upper Extremity, Peripheral Neuropathy of the Right Upper Extremity, Peripheral Neuropathy of the Left Lower Extremity, Peripheral Neuropathy of the Right Lower Extremity
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 6, 2026
- Citation
- 26001713
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 26001713.
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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