The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable rating for residual scar, excision of neoplasm posterior neck was denied as the evidence did not show at least one characteristic of disfigurement.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied because there is no current diagnosis and the preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran had hearing loss during service or due to an in-service injury.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's scar did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under Diagnostic Code 7800 as he did not have at least one characteristic of disfigurement.,There is no current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss and the preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran had hearing loss during service or due to an in-service injury.
- Claimed conditions
- {"condition_name":"Residual scar, excision of neoplasm posterior neck"}, {"condition_name":"Bilateral hearing loss"}, {"condition_name":"Degenerative arthritis of the right knee"}, {"condition_name":"Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)"}, {"condition_name":"Respiratory disability, to include uncontrolled coughing"}
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- Camp Lejeune water
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 4, 2019
- Citation
- 19143025
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
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- Granted
The Board granted service connection for migraine headaches as proximately due to the Veteran's service-connected tinnitus.
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