The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) have been denied as there is no evidence of current disabilities or in-service incurrence. The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss for VA purposes, nor has he had such through the appeal period.,The Veteran's claim for GERD was also denied due to lack of service connection and insufficient evidence linking his current condition to service.
The deciding factor: There is no medical evidence showing a current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss or GERD, nor any in-service event, injury, or disease that could be linked to these conditions.,The Veteran's reported symptoms after drinking water during service are not credible and do not provide sufficient evidence to establish a link between his current GERD and service.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), Left Shoulder Pain, Right Shoulder Pain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 11, 2022
- Citation
- 22014217
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 22014217.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected. The claims for alcohol abuse and psychiatric disorder are remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The issue remains under direct service connection theory.
- Denied
The Veteran's hearing loss was rated at 30 percent, the highest non-compensable rating available. The Board found that his hearing loss did not warrant a higher rating based on VA examinations and medical records.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current hearing loss and his active service. The Board noted that while he had complaints of earaches in service, these did not indicate a current disability.
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