The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected conditions do not warrant an increased rating or any other favorable determination.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not support a finding of exceptional hearing loss, and the Veteran's functional limitations related to his bilateral hearing loss are already addressed in the current noncompensable evaluation.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, right hip disability, left leg disability (including left knee), low back disability, tinnitus, acquired psychiatric disability (depression), diabetes mellitus, type II, kidney condition, esophageal condition (claimed as dysphagia), peripheral vascular disease of the left leg (claimed as phlebitis and thrombosis), peripheral vascular disease of the right leg (claimed as phlebitis and thrombosis), sleep disorder (claimed as sleep apnea), syphilis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 17, 2017
- Citation
- 1733746
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 1733746.
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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