The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated as noncompensable, and his TDIU claim from October 11, 2012 to July 12, 2017 was denied due to lack of evidence showing he is unemployable because of service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating. His TDIU claim was denied as there was no evidence showing he could not secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities, including a work-related motor vehicle accident in 1991.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Traumatic Arthritis of Right Hip and Right Knee, Tinnitus, Radiculopathy of the Right Lower Extremity, Lumbosacral Strain with Spondylolisthesis and Degenerative Arthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- August 17, 2018
- Citation
- 18127406
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 18127406.
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 Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected. The claims for alcohol abuse and psychiatric disorder are remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The issue remains under direct service connection theory.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Veteran's hearing loss was rated at 30 percent, the highest non-compensable rating available. The Board found that his hearing loss did not warrant a higher rating based on VA examinations and medical records.
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