The Veteran's service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability.,Service connection was granted for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability, diagnosed as DDD, lumbar spinal stenosis, spondylosis, degenerative disc syndrome, and degenerative arthritis of the spine.
The deciding factor: The preponderance of evidence did not show that the Veteran had a current bilateral hearing loss disability for VA compensation purposes.,There was no medical record showing progressive, chronic back complaints or treatment during service. However, the examiner found it at least as likely as not that the lumbar spine disability is related to combat training in service.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral hearing loss, Lumbar spine disability (DDD, lumbar spinal stenosis, spondylosis, degenerative disc syndrome, and degenerative arthritis of the spine)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 3, 2020
- Citation
- 20000415
Veterans Law Judge
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 20000415.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for a low back disorder was reopened, and his claims for increased ratings of bilateral knee instability were granted. His hearing loss claim was denied.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeals of the initial ratings for his service-connected chronic cough and bilateral hearing loss are remanded due to procedural errors in the evidentiary record.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral pes planus with hammer toes, hallux valgus and degenerative arthritis, sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and bilateral kidney cysts, rendered him unable to secure or follow gainful employment. The Board granted the TDIU based on these conditions.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus) do not prevent him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment.
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