The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as 10 percent disabling. The Board finds that a higher initial rating for this disability is not warranted. The Veteran does not have any other conditions related to cold exposure, and his arthritis of the hands, knees, skin cancer, hypertension, and blood circulation disorder are not related to active service or cold exposure.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not support assigning a higher initial rating for the Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss. The record also does not support granting service connection for arthritis of the bilateral hands, arthritis of the bilateral knees, skin cancer at multiple sites on the body, hypertension, and a blood circulation disorder, each including as due to cold exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Arthritis of Bilateral Hands, Arthritis of Bilateral Knees, Skin Cancer at Multiple Sites on the Body, Hypertension, Blood Circulation Disorder
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- June 19, 2013
- Citation
- 1319818
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1319818.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected. The claims for alcohol abuse and psychiatric disorder are remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the claim of service connection for hypertension, finding that it did not manifest during service and is not causally related to the Veteran's exposure to herbicides or service.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The issue remains under direct service connection theory.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current condition and active duty service or herbicide exposure.
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