The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss has been denied as the current level of disability does not warrant such an increase. The issues regarding service connection for right knee and right ankle disorders have also been denied, with the Board finding that these conditions are not secondary to his service-connected left ankle disorder.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's hearing impairment was evaluated using VA audiometric testing which showed Level III hearing in both ears during the appeal period. The current level of disability does not meet or exceed the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent under Diagnostic Code 6100, as per the applicable VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Right Knee Disorder, Right Ankle Disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 6, 2015
- Citation
- 1519395
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 1519395.
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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