The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and sleep apnea, as well as his claim for an increased rating for PTSD. The Board found that there was no evidence of chronic hearing loss in service or continuity of symptomatology after service, and thus could not establish service connection based on direct service connection. For sleep apnea, the appeal is pending and remanded.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's hearing acuity at service separation was normal, and post-service audiometric findings did not meet regulatory requirements for establishing a disability. The Board found that symptoms of an organic disease of the nervous system were not chronic in service or after service.
- Claimed conditions
- Hearing loss, Sleep apnea
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 15, 2013
- Citation
- 1312435
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 1312435.
What this means for you
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for sleep apnea and acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD) due to insufficient evidence of record. The Veteran is required to undergo VA examinations to determine if his conditions are related to service.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral pes planus with hammer toes, hallux valgus and degenerative arthritis, sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and bilateral kidney cysts, rendered him unable to secure or follow gainful employment. The Board granted the TDIU based on these conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's hearing loss and low back strain claims are remanded for further evaluation. The hearing loss claim is denied, while the low back strain claim requires additional examination to determine its severity.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the claims for psychiatric disability and sleep apnea.,Service connection was granted for right lower extremity radiculopathy and left lower extremity radiculopathy secondary to a service-connected back disability, but denied for right wrist disability.
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