The Veteran's claim for increased rating of bilateral hearing loss has been denied as his current level of hearing acuity does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating.,Service connection for a respiratory condition, including nagging cough and lung condition, is denied as there is no evidence of a current chronic disability related to service. The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and anxiety disorder, has been remanded due to the need for further examination and evaluation.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for a respiratory condition (nagging cough and lung condition) and an acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD and anxiety disorder) are currently pending. The Board notes that the Veteran reported exposure to Project SHAD, but there is no evidence of record supporting this claim.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's current level of hearing acuity does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under VA's rating schedule.,There is no evidence of a current chronic disability related to service. The Veteran's claims are pending and further examination and evaluation are required.,The Veteran reported exposure to Project SHAD, but there is no supporting evidence in the record.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, respiratory condition, acquired psychiatric disorder
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 27, 2019
- Citation
- 19175261
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 19175261.
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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case for additional development regarding the Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, and PTSD due to additional development of records and examination.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.