The Board denied service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran did not have a current disability at the time of filing his claim or during its pendency. The evidence showed no complaints or diagnoses related to these conditions until after separation from active duty.
The deciding factor: The medical opinions provided by VA examiners found no causal relationship between the claimed tinnitus and hearing loss and service, as there was no evidence of auditory damage on active duty and the Veteran's hearing was normal at separation. The lay assertions regarding onset were not considered probative due to lack of expertise in diagnosing these conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 17, 2026
- Citation
- A26023653
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 A26023653.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
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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