The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found that his bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to military service, while his erectile dysfunction is not proximately due to or aggravated by his diabetes mellitus. His peripheral neuropathy in the upper extremities was considered a complication of his diabetes mellitus. However, he did not meet the criteria for an increased rating for his type II diabetes mellitus.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not related to military service, as there is no evidence of acoustic trauma or other factors that could have caused these conditions. The Board also found that his erectile dysfunction was not proximately due to or aggravated by his diabetes mellitus, which is the primary condition at issue.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Tinnitus, Erectile Dysfunction (ED), Peripheral Neuropathy of the Right Upper Extremity, Peripheral Neuropathy of the Left Upper Extremity, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Type II Diabetes Mellitus
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- May 27, 2009
- Citation
- 0919663
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0919663.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted as the evidence shows a current diagnosis of PTSD, an in-service stressor, and a medical link between the two.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50% since March 23, 2004. The Board found that a higher rating is not warranted prior to February 15, 2005 due to the severity of his symptoms and their impact on his social and occupational functioning.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and any acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his current mental health conditions and his military service.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.
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