The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction, a skin rash, and an anal fissure, polyps, and rectal bleeding. The Board found no evidence of in-service hearing loss or tinnitus, and concluded that any current disabilities were less likely related to service.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner's opinion supported the Veteran's contentions regarding his hearing loss and tinnitus but found them less likely due to acoustic trauma during service. For TMJ dysfunction, the Board noted inconsistencies in the Veteran's history of symptoms and lack of a definitive diagnosis. The skin rash and anal fissure, polyps, and rectal bleeding claims were not addressed as they were remanded.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction, skin rash, anal fissure, polyps and rectal bleeding
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 16, 2010
- Citation
- 1047044
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 1047044.
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 service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, arthritis, and memory loss. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
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