The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, PTSD, and Sjogren's syndrome. The decision found that new evidence did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. For PTSD, the Board noted there was no diagnosis of PTSD in the record. For Sjogren's syndrome, the Board concluded there is insufficient evidence linking it to service.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not meet the criteria for a clinical diagnosis of PTSD and the Veteran does not possess the training or expertise necessary to diagnose her own conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Sjogren's syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- July 17, 2018
- Citation
- 18118906
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 18118906.
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: Denied
The Veteran's initial claim for service-connected bilateral sensorineural hearing loss was denied, and the rating assigned prior to September 12, 2024, is noncompensable.
- Whole decision: Partly granted
Service connection for rheumatoid arthritis and Sjogren's syndrome is granted.,Service connection for hypertension is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding its onset in service or as a result of a disease or injury in active service.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been submitted for the claim of entitlement to TDIU, which is being remanded. The issue of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is also being remanded due to conflicting medical opinions.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for depression, other specified trauma- and stressor-related disorder with alcohol use disorder, severe, and PTSD due to inadequate medical opinions provided by VA examiners.
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