The Board denied service connection for a back disability and right ear hearing loss due to lack of evidence linking the disabilities to service.,Service connection was granted for left ear hearing loss as being caused by military noise exposure.
The deciding factor: VA examiners found no link between current back or hearing loss conditions and service, attributing them to non-service-related causes such as age and noise exposure. The Veteran's assertions of continuity of symptomatology since service were not supported by the evidence.
- Claimed conditions
- Acquired psychiatric disorder, to include posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Back disability, to include lumbar spine degenerative disc disease and degenerative joint disease, Left knee disability, to include residuals of left knee surgery, Right ear hearing loss disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- August 5, 2016
- Citation
- 1631392
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 1631392.
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: Granted
The Board has granted service connection for a right ear hearing loss disability but denied service connection for a left ear hearing loss disability.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss disability began during service and is therefore granted as service connection.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's left ear hearing loss disability is related to hazardous noise exposure in service, while his right ear hearing loss disability was not aggravated during service.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, finding that the Veteran did not have a current disability and failed to establish a link between his in-service stressor and any diagnosed condition.
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