The Board has determined that the Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, gastrointestinal disability, skin cancer, and PTSD are denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or in-service incurrence or aggravation.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's pre-existing hearing loss did not increase during service. The Board finds his statements regarding the onset of his disabilities to be less credible given the record as a whole.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss Disability, Hypertensive Vascular Disease, Gastrointestinal Disability (manifested by stomach problems, including diverticulitis, polyps, acid reflux, colitis, and/or irritable bowel syndrome), Skin Cancer, Acquired Psychiatric Disability (Posttraumatic Stress Disorder)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- October 19, 2015
- Citation
- 1544368
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1544368.
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 Veteran's ESRD is denied as not related to service, including herbicide agent exposure. The skin cancer of the right ear remains under remand for further evaluation.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus, finding that these conditions are related to his in-service noise exposure.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
The Board has readjudicated the claims for service connection for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss disability, cervical spine disability, skin disability, and peripheral neuropathy of both upper extremities. The decision is mixed as some issues are granted while others are remanded.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus due to inadequate medical opinion in the original decision. The issues are being remanded for further examination and consideration of new evidence.
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