The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, a stomach disability (to include as secondary to Agent Orange exposure), and bilateral ankle, shoulder, and knee disabilities. The Veteran did not have a diagnosed hearing loss or stomach condition that was incurred in service or due to Agent Orange exposure. The ankle, shoulder, and knee disabilities were also not shown to be related to service.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence did not support the presence of bilateral hearing loss for VA purposes and there is no presumption of exposure to herbicides (Agent Orange) based on the Veteran's service in the Republic of Vietnam. The stomach disability was not incurred or aggravated by military service, nor may it be presumed to have been incurred therein.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, bilateral ankle disability, bilateral shoulder disability, bilateral knee disability, stomach disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 6, 2010
- Citation
- 1016826
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 1016826.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the service connection claim for a bilateral knee disability to correct a pre-decisional duty to assist error, including scheduling an additional VA examination.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including bilateral hearing loss and various musculoskeletal issues, as well as an initial rating in excess of 0 percent for rhinitis. However, the Board granted a 70 percent rating for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for cervicalgia, jaw disability, stomach disability, and drug abuse as the evidence did not support a finding of an in-service incurrence or aggravation of these conditions.
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