The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and TDIU were denied. The Veteran was not granted a higher rating for his bilateral hearing loss or chronic otitis externa, and the Board found that he did not meet the criteria for a TDIU due to lack of substantial evidence regarding his employment history.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not warrant an increased rating as they are already rated at their maximum levels. The Veteran also does not have sufficient additional disabilities to qualify for a TDIU based on combined ratings alone or because of the impact of non-service-connected disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Chronic Otitis Externa, Plantar Fasciitis, Left Forearm Scar, Tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 22, 2018
- Citation
- 18128416
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 18128416.
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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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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