Hearing loss: what the Board looked for
Real appeals where a private medical opinion tied hearing loss to noise in service, even with normal hearing tests at discharge.
A nexus letter is a signed medical opinion that links a current condition to your service.
If the VA just denied your hearing loss claim: your decision letter lists the reasons. We read those reasons next to your records, page by page.
If you haven’t filed yet: the points below are what the Board weighed in these appeals. A letter can cover them from the start.
Why hearing loss claims get denied
- The VA exam points to normal hearing tests when you joined and when you left.
- The VA exam points to the years before you noticed it, then blames age or noise after service.
- Your job in service is rated low-noise, and the exam stops there.
- Private letters fall short when they only say noise “can” cause damage, skip when your hearing changed, or never say what records they read.
What the Board looked for
“Probative” is the Board’s word for convincing.
Normal hearing at discharge didn’t end the claim.Granted · 2026
“However, a Veteran is not required to show that hearing loss was present during his active military service to establish his entitlement to service connection.”
Two VA exams pointed to normal hearing at discharge and a long gap after. The Board found them inadequate. The private doctor reviewed the service records, later noise, and the hearing tests.
Read decision A26068196 on VA.gov (opens in a new tab)A low-noise job, next to an airfield.Granted · 2025
“Despite its relative brevity, the Board finds the June 2022 positive private medical opinion adequate and persuasive, particularly in combination with the associated treatment records.”
The VA called the job low-noise and noted normal hearing tests in service. But the barracks sat near an airfield. The private doctor examined the veteran over several years. The VA opinions never explained why the normal tests mattered.
Read decision A25050388 on VA.gov (opens in a new tab)Studies beat a thin VA rationale.Granted · 2024
“By contrast, the May 2020 private opinion contained thorough explanations for all conclusions drawn and cited to several medical articles in support of its clear conclusions.”
One VA exam leaned on silent service records. Another never explained its reasons. The private opinion cited studies showing noise damage can show up years later. The other ear was denied, since its tests didn’t meet the VA’s cutoff.
Read decision A24040103 on VA.gov (opens in a new tab)A private letter the Board turned down.Denied · 2023
“In addition, both opinions are equivocal in that they state noise exposure “can be correlated” to hearing loss and “can cause hearing damage.””
Two letters backed the claim but leaned on what noise “can” do. Neither said what records it read. Neither dealt with the veteran’s account that hearing trouble began years after service.
Read decision A23031229 on VA.gov (opens in a new tab)
What a strong nexus letter for hearing loss does
From the opinions the Board found convincing:
- Shows it reviewed your service records, hearing tests, and claims file.
- Lists the real noise you faced, including noise where you lived or worked.
- Explains, with studies, why normal hearing at discharge doesn’t rule out noise damage.
- Deals with what came after: age, loud jobs, and other noise.
- Matches what you’ve said about when your hearing changed.
- Gives a clear opinion about your hearing, not just what noise “can” do.
- Rests on hearing tests that meet the VA’s rules, including the Maryland CNC word test.
- Uses the VA’s standard, “at least as likely as not.”
See what your records support
Our Nexus Check reads every page you send and cites the page for each finding, including pages that work against the claim. It’s free. If you request a letter, we draft it, and a licensed clinician reviews it, edits it and signs only what they support.
(360) 347-2563 · Mon–Fri 8am–5pm, Sat–Sun 8am–2pm Pacific. Outside those hours, request a call and we respond the next day we’re open.
If we don’t respond the same day during business hours, you get 15% off your nexus letter.
A call, voicemail or text from us counts as our reply. Business hours: Mon to Fri 8 to 5, Sat and Sun 8 to 2 Pacific. Terms
We don’t file claims or contact the VA for you. You or your accredited representative decide how to submit your evidence.
Public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decisions. These veterans weren’t Anchorpoint clients. Every claim is decided on its own evidence.