The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, sleep apnea, hypertension and kidney disease secondary to service-connected lumbar strain, tinnitus, left lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve), and right lower extremity radiculopathy. The decision also remanded his claim for service connection for headaches.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran did not have evidence of in-service hearing loss or noise exposure sufficient to establish a nexus between current bilateral hearing loss and service, denied claims for sleep apnea and hypertension/kidney disease secondary to service-connected lumbar strain due to lack of evidence of an in-service injury, event, or disease related to these conditions, and denied the Veteran's increased rating claims for radiculopathy.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, sleep apnea, hypertension, kidney disease, tinnitus, left lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve), right lower extremity radiculopathy (sciatic nerve)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- September 26, 2018
- Citation
- 18138811
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 18138811.
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: 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.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- Whole decision: 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.
- Whole decision: 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.
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