The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The claim for a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss disability was not granted, as the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus was also denied due to the maximum schedular rating already assigned.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's claims were denied because they did not meet the criteria for a higher disability evaluation under the applicable VA Rating Schedule, and there was no legal basis for separate evaluations for bilateral tinnitus.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Tinnitus, Glaucoma of the left eye, Diabetes mellitus type II, Peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities, Peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 18, 2015
- Citation
- 1552977
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 1552977.
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.
- 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.
- 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.
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