The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss and denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for traumatic arthritis of the right fifth finger, a residual scar on the right hand, and painful motion of the right ring finger. The Veteran is now receiving the highest available disability rating under applicable diagnostic codes.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the evidence was in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's current right ear hearing loss is related to in-service noise exposure, granting service connection for this condition. For the other issues, the Board determined that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating based on his limited range of motion and lack of ankylosis.
- Claimed conditions
- Right ear hearing loss, Traumatic arthritis of the right fifth finger, Residual scar of the right hand secondary to traumatic arthritis, Painful motion of the right ring finger secondary to traumatic arthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- November 22, 2019
- Citation
- 19188668
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 3,319 · Granted: 25% (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 19188668.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to insufficient evidence and need for additional examinations.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for a right ear hearing loss disability is dismissed. The appeal for service connection for bilateral knee disabilities is denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for a compensable rating for right ear hearing loss and service connection for left ear hearing loss due to inadequate audiometric examinations. The Veteran will be scheduled for new VA examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his left ear hearing loss and the severity of his hearing loss.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection of hypertension and right ear hearing loss were denied. The Board has remanded these issues.,Service connection for hypertension was granted in June 2023 based on the PACT Act, but an earlier effective date is not warranted.
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