The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and granted service connection for tinnitus. The Board found that the appellant's current hearing loss did not have its inception during active duty, was not shown to be manifest within one year of separation, and continuity of symptoms is not established. Service connection on a direct basis was also not warranted due to lack of nexus between the currently diagnosed bilateral hearing loss and in-service noise exposure.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there was no significant permanent shift in hearing thresholds beyond test variability from entrance to separation, which is objective evidence of no permanent auditory damage on active duty. The appellant's current hearing loss did not meet the specific criteria set forth in section 3.385 and the audiologist concluded it was less likely than not related to military noise exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 3, 2026
- Citation
- A26019107
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 A26019107.
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, arthritis, and memory loss. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
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