The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, GERD, hematuria, fibromyalgia, ulcer, cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, left shoulder disability, nerve damage to the left hand, arms, and feet, and right hand disability have been denied due to lack of credible supporting evidence for the claimed in-service stressors and no link between current conditions and service.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's claims are based on unverified in-service stressors and there is insufficient credible supporting evidence linking any current psychiatric or physical disabilities to service.
- Claimed conditions
- Acquired Psychiatric Disorder (to include PTSD), Bilateral Hearing Loss, GERD, Hematuria, Fibromyalgia, Ulcer, Cervical Spine Disability (to include Arthritis), Lumbar Spine Disability (to include Arthritis), Left Shoulder Disability, Nerve Damage to the Left Hand, Arms, and Feet, Right Hand Disability (to include Arthritis)
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 27, 2018
- Citation
- 1825741
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 1825741.
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.
- 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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current hearing loss and his active service. The Board noted that while he had complaints of earaches in service, these did not indicate a current disability.
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