The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied, and his claim for an increased rating for status post healed fracture of the left fourth metacarpal phalangeal with posttraumatic degenerative changes was granted at a 10 percent rating.
The deciding factor: The VA examinations showed that the Veteran's hearing loss did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating, and his fracture resulted in painful noncompensable motion of the left hand which warranted a 10 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 5230.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Status Post Healed Fracture of the Left Fourth Metacarpal Phalangeal with Posttraumatic Degenerative Changes
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 28, 2020
- Citation
- 20081151
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 Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to in-service noise exposure.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD, entitlement to TDIU, and SMC based on housebound status.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for asbestosis, bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), rhinitis, sinusitis, and asthma. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was also denied a compensable rating.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various disabilities and denied higher ratings for several service-connected conditions.
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