The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his low back strain and right shoulder conditions, finding that the current evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his symptoms. The claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was reopened but still denied due to lack of evidence linking the condition to military service.
The deciding factor: The veteran's current symptoms were found to be more consistent with age-related degeneration rather than active service-connected conditions, and there was no new evidence presented that would support reopening or granting service connection for bilateral hearing loss.
- Claimed conditions
- Low Back Strain, Degenerative Disc Disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 14, 2006
- Citation
- 0604157
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for various conditions, including erectile dysfunction, PTSD, depression, frequent urination, intermetatarsal neuroma right foot, left knee condition, right knee condition, low back strain, shoulder strain, and tinnitus, due to a failure to provide necessary examinations.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to her service-connected disabilities, which include posttraumatic stress disorder and various musculoskeletal conditions.
- Granted
The Board granted a higher level of SMC under 38 U.S.C. § 1114(t) for the Veteran's residuals of traumatic brain injury (TBI), effective March 2, 2022.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issue of entitlement to a total disability based upon individual unemployability (TDIU) prior to April 7, 2022, for further development and evidence collection.
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