The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities. The evidence did not support a finding that his hearing loss began during service or was related to in-service noise exposure, and he failed to meet the criteria for a TDIU based on his service-connected conditions.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner's opinion supported by other medical evidence concluded that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is not related to service. The combined rating of his service-connected disabilities did not meet the schedular requirements for a TDIU, and he failed to provide substantial evidence showing he was unemployable due to his service-connected conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), left shoulder osteoarthritis, right shoulder pain, degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, left and right knee osteoarthritis, diabetic neuropathy of the right lower extremity, tinnitus, allergic rhinitis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- October 7, 2021
- Citation
- 21062470
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,020 · Granted: 19% (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 21062470.
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: Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Whole decision: Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including bipolar disorder and PTSD. The Veteran will be asked to provide additional medical records and undergo a VA examination.
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