Secondary service connection
Conditions secondary to hearing loss
Veterans with service-connected hearing loss often claim other conditions as caused or worsened by it. This page lists those conditions, what VA needs to grant them, and how they fared when veterans appealed to the Board of Veterans' Appeals.
What VA needs to grant a secondary claim
Secondary service connection means VA disability benefits for a condition caused or made worse by a disability that is already service connected (38 CFR 3.310). The claim needs three things:
- A current diagnosis of the secondary condition.
- Hearing loss is already service connected.
- Medical evidence linking them (a nexus opinion): the secondary condition was caused by hearing loss (3.310(a)), or was made worse beyond its natural progress by it (aggravation, 3.310(b)).
VA's procedures for these claims are in M21-1 V.ii.2.D. When the evidence for and against is about even, VA must decide in the veteran's favor (38 CFR 3.102).
Conditions claimed secondary to hearing loss
Conditions the Board decided at least 300 times as secondary to this disability, highest appeal grant rate first. Open one for the evidence and reasons behind the decisions.
Hearing loss claimed secondary to other conditions
The other direction: hearing loss claimed as caused or worsened by a different service-connected disability.
All Board decisions on hearing loss, direct and secondary: Hearing loss grant rates.
Rules that apply to secondary claims
- 38 CFR 3.310
Secondary service connection and aggravation
Read it in VA Law Explorer - M21-1 V.ii.2.D
Secondary service connection and aggravation of non-service-connected disabilities
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 3.102
Reasonable doubt (benefit of the doubt)
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 4.85
Evaluation of hearing impairment
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 4.87 · DC 6100
Schedule of ratings: ear
Read it in VA Law Explorer - 38 CFR 3.385
Disability due to impaired hearing
Read it in VA Law Explorer - M21-1 V.iii.2.B.1
Service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus, incl. Guard and Reserve duty
Read it in VA Law Explorer - M21-1 V.iii.2.B.2
Evaluating hearing impairment: definition, test methods, exceptional patterns
Read it in VA Law Explorer
Research your secondary case
Narrow by year, judge, evidence or secondary condition, read the decisions, and export a research memo.