The veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The Board found no evidence of a current right knee or left knee disability, nor did the medical evidence support separate diagnoses for left hip pain or shoulder pain. For bilateral hearing loss, the VA examination revealed normal hearing thresholds but noted symptoms consistent with PTSD affecting his ability to work.
The deciding factor: The veteran's service-connected back, hip, and leg conditions are considered in determining the severity of his current disabilities, including those related to his knees and hearing. The medical evidence does not support separate diagnoses for left hip pain or shoulder pain, nor is there sufficient evidence to establish a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Knee Condition, Left Knee Condition, Left Hip Pain, Left Shoulder Pain, Bilateral Hearing Loss
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 18, 2008
- Citation
- 0839587
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 0839587.
What this means for you
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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.
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