The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection have been denied. The Board found no evidence of current right ear hearing loss, and the Veteran does not meet the criteria for a compensable disability rating for left ear hearing loss under VA regulations.
The deciding factor: The audiometric testing did not show impaired hearing in either ear as defined by VA regulations.
- Claimed conditions
- Right ear hearing loss, Left ear hearing loss, Right shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis with degenerative arthritis, Right knee chondromalacia with degenerative arthritis, Left knee strain, Degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, Left lower extremity radiculopathy, Right ankle strain, Residuals of left foot remote navicular bone fracture with left ankle disability, Bilateral plantar fasciitis with bilateral pes cavus, Right elbow tricep tendonitis, Left hip trochanteric pain syndrome with bursitis, Left anterior costochondral separation cage
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 14, 2021
- Citation
- 21022128
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 21022128.
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 has granted effective dates of July 10, 2024 for service connection for PTSD, lumbar strain, and left lower extremity radiculopathy.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to insufficient evidence and need for additional examinations.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for cervical spine strain, right wrist sprain, right knee strain, left knee strain, and right ankle strain. The disabilities are all deemed to have begun during the Veteran's active duty.
- 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.
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