The Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss, bilateral ED, cataracts, peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities, and venous insufficiency of the lower extremities are all denied. The Board finds that there is no evidence to support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by service.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's hearing loss disability was not shown during service and his current hearing loss disability does not meet VA compensation standards for hearing loss. His lay assertions of in-service onset are not competent evidence, as the matter of etiology is beyond the scope of common knowledge. The Board finds no other medical evidence to support a finding that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by service.
- Claimed conditions
- Heart Disease, Erectile Dysfunction (ED), Bilateral Hearing Loss, Tinnitus, Peripheral Neuropathy of the Upper Extremities, Peripheral Neuropathy of the Lower Extremities, Venous Insufficiency of the Lower Extremities, Cataracts
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- July 30, 2014
- Citation
- 1433921
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 1433921.
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: Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.
- 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: 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 Veteran's hearing loss was rated at 30 percent, the highest non-compensable rating available. The Board found that his hearing loss did not warrant a higher rating based on VA examinations and medical records.
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