The Board has dismissed the appeal for a compensable evaluation for service-connected bilateral hearing loss. The veteran's claim of entitlement to an evaluation in excess of 30 percent for sinusitis with allergic rhinitis is denied as there is no evidence that his condition meets or approximates the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Code 6513. His claim of entitlement to an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for degenerative joint disease, right foot (fracture repair, second metatarsal) with plantar fasciitis is denied as there is no evidence that his condition meets or approximates the criteria for a higher rating under Diagnostic Codes 5284 and 5003.
The deciding factor: The veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation. His sinusitis with allergic rhinitis is currently evaluated as 30 percent disabling, which is the maximum schedular rating under Diagnostic Code 6513. The Board finds that his condition does not warrant an increase to a higher rating due to lack of evidence of constant or near-constant symptoms requiring antibiotic treatment more than three times per year. His degenerative joint disease of the right foot with plantar fasciitis is currently evaluated as 10 percent disabling, which is also the maximum schedular rating under Diagnostic Codes 5284 and 5003.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Sinusitis with Allergic Rhinitis, Degenerative Joint Disease, Right Foot (Fracture Repair, Second Metatarsal)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 27, 2001
- Citation
- 0117208
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 0117208.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected. The claims for alcohol abuse and psychiatric disorder are remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The issue remains under direct service connection theory.
- Denied
The Veteran's hearing loss was rated at 30 percent, the highest non-compensable rating available. The Board found that his hearing loss did not warrant a higher rating based on VA examinations and medical records.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current hearing loss and his active service. The Board noted that while he had complaints of earaches in service, these did not indicate a current disability.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.