The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and cellulitis of the right mandible and jaw pain. The evidence did not show a nexus between these conditions and service.,Service medical records showed treatment for cellulitis of the right mandible during service but no residuals were noted at separation. Post-service private and VA records do not document any current disabilities related to cellulitis or tinnitus.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not establish a nexus between the veteran's current hearing loss, tinnitus, and cellulitis of the right mandible and jaw pain with service.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Tinnitus, Cellulitis of the Right Mandible and Jaw Pain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 19, 2002
- Citation
- 0218520
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 0218520.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for depressive disorder as secondary to hypertension and tinnitus, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an increased rating for hypertension.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, but remanded the claim for degenerative disc disease with degenerative arthritis.
- Partly granted
The Board granted readjudication of previously denied claims for service connection for PTSD and COPD, while remanding other issues including entitlement to service connection for an eye disorder, hypertension, tinnitus, a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, TDIU, and an initial rating for PTSD.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to in-service noise exposure.
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