The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss, right ear; polycythemia; and a bilateral eye disorder. The decision found that his current right ear hearing loss was not related to service or herbicide exposure, his polycythemia was not incurred in service, and he did not have a compensable bilateral eye disorder.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner concluded that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss is not related to service, as there is no evidence of such during service. The polycythemia was not shown to be related to service or herbicide exposure. His current bilateral eye disorder does not meet the criteria for a compensable disability.
- Claimed conditions
- Hearing Loss, Right Ear, Polycythemia, Bilateral Eye Disorder
- How they argued it
- Presumptive (no nexus needed)
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 29, 2010
- Citation
- 1004456
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 1004456.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board denied an increased disability evaluation for PTSD but granted an earlier effective date for TDIU of August 6, 2012.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeal in September 2025, stating that she is now 100% permanently and totally disabled effective April 29, 2025.
- Partly granted
The Board denied the claims for increased rating for diabetes and hearing loss, granted service connection for chronic kidney disease secondary to diabetes, and remanded the claim for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremity.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for hearing loss was denied prior to December 4, 2013, but a 20 percent rating was granted from December 4, 2013, to September 26, 2015.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.