The Board denied service connection for degenerative disc disease at L2-L3 and L4-L5 due to lack of evidence showing a nexus between the condition and service.,The Board granted severance of service connection for right ear hearing loss (previously rated as bilateral hearing loss) effective July 1, 2014, finding it proper based on VA regulations.,The Veteran's initial compensable rating for left ear hearing loss was denied due to the lack of evidence showing a current disability.,The Board denied an increased rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD from November 29, 2012.,The effective date earlier than March 30, 2012 for the grant of service connection for left ear hearing loss was denied due to lack of evidence showing a current disability.,The Veteran's TDIU rating was granted based on his inability to work due to his service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: There is no objective medical evidence establishing that the Veteran’s degenerative disc disease at L2-L3 and L4-L5 was chronic in service or manifest to a compensable degree within a presumptive period, and continuity of symptomatology is not established.,The VA examiner opined that the current back condition appears to be a separate and unrelated condition from service-related thoracic spine and treatment.,There is no objective medical evidence showing a current disability for left ear hearing loss.
- Claimed conditions
- Degenerative disc disease at L2-L3 and L4-L5, Right ear hearing loss (previously rated as bilateral hearing loss), Left ear hearing loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 1, 2019
- Citation
- 19114991
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 19114991.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 20 percent rating for the Veteran's left knee strain, service connection for right ear hearing loss, and service connection for a right ankle disorder. Other claims were denied or remanded.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an effective date of April 5, 2018, for the award of service connection for PTSD and denied earlier effective dates for erectile dysfunction, left ear hearing loss, migraines, and other conditions.
- Dismissed
The appeals for service connection for right ear hearing loss and a compensable evaluation for left ear hearing loss were dismissed as the Veteran withdrew his appeals at a December 2024 Board hearing. The remaining claims are being remanded for further development.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's appeals for increased ratings and remanded certain issues, including TDIU and SMC.
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