The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left ear hearing loss, TMJ disorder, and an initial compensable rating for a cervical spine disorder. The Veteran was granted service connection for tinnitus but not for right shoulder strain or neurological impairment of the bilateral upper extremities.
The deciding factor: There is no current evidence of left ear hearing loss meeting VA criteria. The Board found that there was insufficient evidence to establish continuity of symptomatology for TMJ disorder and denied the Veteran's claim for service connection based on direct service connection. The cervical spine disorder rating was increased but not granted a higher initial rating.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Shoulder Strain, Neurological Impairment of Bilateral Upper Extremities (previously addressed as Right and Left Hand Neuropathy), TMJ Disorder, Left Ear Hearing Loss, Cervical Spine Disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 21, 2011
- Citation
- 1146535
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 1146535.
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 the Veteran's claims of service connection for right ear hearing loss and a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence to support these claims based on in-service noise exposure or other theories.
- Denied
The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date for service connection and increased rating for his right shoulder disability was denied. The Board found that the earliest claim for service connection was filed on June 3, 2024, and thus no earlier effective date is warranted.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for a right shoulder disability, finding that the Veteran's current symptoms are related to his in-service injury.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for right shoulder strain with rotator cuff tendonitis was granted, effective August 19, 2024. The decision is based on the merits of the case and not due to any presumption or new evidence.
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