The Veteran's petition to reopen his previously denied claim for service connection of bilateral hearing loss was denied. The appeal regarding the recognition of K.T. as a helpless child for VA dependency compensation is also denied, with an effective date set at June 12, 2013. His claim for increased rating of intraventricular heart block remains denied.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not meet the criteria to reopen the previously denied service connection claim for bilateral hearing loss and there was no new and material evidence received within one year of the October 2010 denial. The effective date for recognition of K.T. as a helpless child for VA dependency compensation is set at June 12, 2013, based on receipt of an informal claim. The Veteran's heart disability has not met the criteria for a higher rating than 30%.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, intraventricular heart block
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- December 23, 2021
- Citation
- 21076238
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 21076238.
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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, and PTSD due to additional development of records and examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss claim, specifically needing an addendum opinion from a VA examiner. The Veteran will be asked to provide any missing records and former employers' information.
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