The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and recurrent dislocation of the left shoulder with degenerative changes were denied. The Veteran was assigned a 30 percent rating for his service-connected conditions, which is the maximum schedular rating available under current VA regulations.
The deciding factor: The audiometric testing results did not warrant a higher than 30 percent rating for bilateral hearing loss, and the medical evidence did not show that the limitation of motion in the left shoulder warranted an increased rating beyond 20 percent.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, recurrent dislocation of the left shoulder with degenerative changes
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- December 28, 2009
- Citation
- 0948632
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 0948632.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, and PTSD due to additional development of records and examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss claim, specifically needing an addendum opinion from a VA examiner. The Veteran will be asked to provide any missing records and former employers' information.
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