Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus is denied.,Service connection for a heart condition other than hypertension, presumed due to herbicide exposure in service, is denied.,A rating in excess of 30 percent for neurodermatitis prior to February 6, 2020, and a rating in excess of 60 percent effective from February 6, 2020, are also denied.
The deciding factor: The preponderance of the evidence is against finding that bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus had an onset in service or was related to service.,The preponderance of the evidence is against finding that a heart condition other than hypertension (presumed due to herbicide exposure) had an onset in service or was related to service.,There is no competent medical evidence linking the Veteran's neurodermatitis to service, and the current rating assigned does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral hearing loss, Tinnitus, Heart condition other than hypertension (presumed due to herbicide exposure)
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- October 21, 2020
- Citation
- 20067986
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,797 · Granted: 20% (granted or partly granted, in the indexed 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. Read the original VA decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 20067986.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.
- Whole decision: 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.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for a higher rating for PTSD and dismissed his appeals regarding increased ratings for tinnitus and a right hand disability due to lack of timely filing of Notice of Disagreement.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including GAD, MDD, bruxism, migraines/headaches, tinnitus, hip pain, iliotibial band syndrome, and leg stress fractures. The evidence does not support current diagnoses of these conditions during the appeal period.
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