The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss from January 30, 2001 and a rating in excess of 10 percent from August 19, 2003 to April 2, 2005 was denied. The Board also found that the criteria for a TDIU prior to April 2, 2005 were not met.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's hearing loss did not meet the schedular criteria for a compensable rating from January 30, 2001 and a rating in excess of 10 percent from August 19, 2003 to April 2, 2005. The Board also found that he was not unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities prior to April 2, 2005.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, depression, left fibular fracture, left Achilles tendon repair with degenerative changes in the ankle, tinnitus, hemorrhoids
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 26, 2017
- Citation
- 1729451
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 1729451.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, arthritis, and memory loss. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
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