The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have been evaluated, and the appeal is denied as there are no new or material issues to reopen. The current evaluations for each condition remain unchanged.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were not supported by the evidence of record, which did not show that his conditions warranted higher disability ratings under applicable VA rating criteria.
- Claimed conditions
- Low back strain with degenerative joint disease, Musculoligamentous sprain of the right shoulder, Allergic rhinitis with headaches, Fracture of the left ankle, Bilateral hearing loss, Squamous cell carcinoma of the right pharynx
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 23, 2009
- Citation
- 0915278
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 0915278.
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 claim for a low back disorder was reopened, and his claims for increased ratings of bilateral knee instability were granted. His hearing loss claim was denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeals of the initial ratings for his service-connected chronic cough and bilateral hearing loss are remanded due to procedural errors in the evidentiary record.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral pes planus with hammer toes, hallux valgus and degenerative arthritis, sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and bilateral kidney cysts, rendered him unable to secure or follow gainful employment. The Board granted the TDIU based on these conditions.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus) do not prevent him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment.
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