The Board found that the appellant did not sustain a neck or back injury during his active duty for training (ACDUTRA) and there is no medical evidence linking any current neck or back disorders to service. For bilateral hearing loss, the Board noted that while the appellant contends he developed this condition due to exposure to acoustic trauma during ACDUTRA, there was insufficient medical evidence to support a finding of service connection.
The deciding factor: The service medical records were negative for complaints or diagnoses related to neck or back injuries and did not show any chronic injury. The appellant's statements regarding an in-service fall are not supported by the service medical records. For bilateral hearing loss, there was no medical evidence linking the condition to ACDUTRA service.
- Claimed conditions
- residuals of a neck or back injury, bilateral hearing loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 31, 2002
- Citation
- 0201070
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 0201070.
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 withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including bilateral hearing loss and various musculoskeletal issues, as well as an initial rating in excess of 0 percent for rhinitis. However, the Board granted a 70 percent rating for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability, as the evidence did not support higher ratings or service connection.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding it at least as likely as not related to the Veteran's in-service noise exposure.
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