The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a compensable evaluation for left ear hearing loss, and his claim for service connection of actinic keratoses and skin cancer was also denied.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's hearing impairment in the left ear did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under VA regulations. The Board found no credible evidence linking the Veteran's current conditions to service or any presumptive exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Left Ear Hearing Loss, Left Zygoma Fracture with Traumatic Left Maxillary Sinusitis, Headaches, Left Trigeminal Neuropathy with Foreign Bodies and Scar, Neck Injury, Shell Fragment Wounds of the Left Thigh and Knee, Actinic Keratoses, Skin Cancer
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 3, 2010
- Citation
- 1004966
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 1004966.
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.
- Denied
The Board denied an initial disability rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD, finding the appellant's symptoms did not more closely approximate occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD due to an inadequate medical opinion.
- Granted
The Board granted a disability rating of 70 percent for PTSD and a total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU) based on the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of February 21, 2007, for the award of service connection for PTSD and major depressive disorder with anxious distress.
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