The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is not service-connected as there is no evidence of in-service noise exposure resulting in current hearing impairment.,The Veteran's left foot disability, characterized by hallux valgus and bone spur, has been rated at 30 percent since February 25, 2010. The Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted as the condition does not meet criteria for loss of use of the foot.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's service treatment records do not show any significant change in his hearing between entrance and separation, and VA examinations have produced inconsistent results.,VA examination findings did not demonstrate actual loss of use of the left foot. The condition is rated at 30 percent under DC 5284 for residuals of other foot injuries.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Left First Metatarsophalangeal Joint with Bone Spur and Hallux Valgus Disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 20, 2019
- Citation
- 19139184
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,088 · Granted: 33% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19139184.
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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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