The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for left ear hearing loss disability and psychiatric disability, finding no evidence linking these conditions to his military service. The claim for high blood pressure as secondary to a psychiatric disability is deferred pending resolution of the psychiatric claim.
The deciding factor: The VA audiologist found that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss disability was less likely than not related to his military service due to normal hearing at enlistment, separation, and in 1972. The VA psychiatrist did not find any diagnosed acquired psychiatric disorders under DSM-IV criteria.
- Claimed conditions
- left ear hearing loss disability, psychiatric disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 17, 2016
- Citation
- 1624517
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 1624517.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied the appellant's eligibility for direct payment of fees from past due benefits awarded in November 2024, as the decision was an initial decision on a new claim seeking increased rating for the Veteran's psychiatric disability.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for a back disability, hand warts, and psychiatric disability due to inconsistencies in the Veteran's reports regarding the etiology of these conditions.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's initial claim for a higher rating and earlier effective date for his psychiatric disability was denied. The appeal of the proposed reduction in hypertension rating is dismissed as not being an adjudicative determination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of VA examination regarding the Veteran's psychiatric disability, which may be related to his active duty service.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.