The Veteran's appeal was denied for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral hearing loss, low back disorder, and rheumatoid arthritis. The Veteran also had his request to reopen previously denied claims for service connection for rheumatoid arthritis of the shoulders, knees, feet, elbows, hands, and neck denied.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not support a finding that the acquired psychiatric disorder was incurred in or aggravated by military service, bilateral hearing loss originated during active duty, low back disorder had its onset in service, and new and material evidence was not received to reopen previously denied claims for rheumatoid arthritis of the shoulders, knees, feet, elbows, hands, and neck.
- Claimed conditions
- Acquired psychiatric disorder (inclusive of PTSD, anxiety disorder, and depression), Bilateral Hearing Loss, Low Back Disorder, Rheumatoid Arthritis of the Knees and Shoulders, Rheumatoid Arthritis of Elbows, Hands, Feet, and Neck
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 2, 2015
- Citation
- 1500011
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 1500011.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current hearing loss and his active service. The Board noted that while he had complaints of earaches in service, these did not indicate a current disability.
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