The Board has denied all claims for increased ratings, finding that the Veteran does not have current residuals of a ruptured left ear and that his service-connected disabilities do not warrant higher initial disability ratings.
The deciding factor: There is no evidence of current residuals from a ruptured left ear. The Veteran's service-connected dysthymic disorder results in some moderate difficulty with memory and understanding, but does not meet the criteria for a higher rating under DC 9433. His right knee strain, right hip strain, and left hip strain are all manifested by pain and noncompensable limitation of motion. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as level I in each ear, which corresponds to a noncompensable disability rating. Hallux valgus deformities of the feet are of only moderate severity.
- Claimed conditions
- Dysthymic Disorder, Right Knee Strain, Right Hip Strain, Left Hip Strain, Bilateral Hearing Loss, Hallux Valgus Deformity of the Right Foot, Hallux Valgus Deformity of the Left Foot
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 13, 2015
- Citation
- 1547864
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 1547864.
What this means for you
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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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