The Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss, an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD, and an initial compensable rating for left ear hearing loss have all been denied. The Board found no current disability of impaired hearing in the right ear for VA purposes, and determined that the Veteran’s PTSD does not warrant a higher than 30 percent rating. Additionally, there is no evidence to support a compensable rating for his left ear hearing loss.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not show any current impairment of hearing in the right ear for VA purposes, and the Veteran's PTSD symptoms were found to be equivalent to those contemplated by a 30 percent rating under the applicable criteria. The Veteran’s left ear hearing loss was also deemed non-compensable as there is no evidence of a compensable disability.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Ear Hearing Loss, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Left Ear Hearing Loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 6, 2020
- Citation
- 20031890
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 20031890.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted as the evidence shows a current diagnosis of PTSD, an in-service stressor, and a medical link between the two.
- Denied
The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 50% since March 23, 2004. The Board found that a higher rating is not warranted prior to February 15, 2005 due to the severity of his symptoms and their impact on his social and occupational functioning.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD and any acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between his current mental health conditions and his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's PTSD resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, warranting a 70% disability rating. The Veteran also met the criteria for a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.
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