The Board finds that the preponderance of evidence is against granting higher ratings or service connection for any of the claimed conditions. The veteran's current disabilities do not meet the criteria for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected residuals of a sprained right ankle with traumatic arthritis.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found no current diagnoses of bilateral hearing loss, bilateral tinnitus, or lacerations to the left forearm and forehead. The veteran's residuals of a sprained right ankle are manifested by arthritis in his right ankle without objective clinical indications of swelling, pain, painful motion, instability, or weakness.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, bilateral tinnitus, laceration of the left forearm, laceration to the forehead
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- June 14, 2000
- Citation
- 0015686
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 0015686.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
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 bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, and PTSD due to additional development of records and examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss claim, specifically needing an addendum opinion from a VA examiner. The Veteran will be asked to provide any missing records and former employers' information.
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