The Veteran's claims for right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, acquired psychiatric disability, heart disability, extremity numbness, dizziness, eye disability, leg disability, back disability, and neck disability are all denied as the evidence does not support a connection to service or any incident of service origin.
The deciding factor: The VA examiners found no credible evidence linking the Veteran's current conditions to his in-service exposure to mercury vapor, including during a mercury spill in 1977. The medical opinions were based on the lack of contemporaneous documentation of symptoms and the absence of any acute illness following the incident.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Ear Hearing Loss, Left Ear Hearing Loss, Acquired Psychiatric Disability (Unspecified Depressive Disorder, Somatic Symptom Disorder, Emotional Disorder), Heart Disability, Extremity Numbness, Dizziness, Eye Disability, Leg Disability, Back Disability, Neck Disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- September 8, 2017
- Citation
- 1738036
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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 1738036.
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 Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Neck Disability, and Bilateral Upper Extremity Radiculopathy. The decision is based on the Veteran's active service and medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's heart disability has been rated at 100% from September 12, 2022 to August 18, 2023. He is also eligible for special monthly compensation and Dependents' Educational Assistance during this period.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for right ear hearing loss and a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence to support these claims based on in-service noise exposure or other theories.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's heart disability is currently rated at 60 percent from February 24, 2023.,The effective date for the grant of TDIU was set to February 24, 2023.
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