The Veteran's claim for service connection for a generalized arthritis condition is denied as there is no evidence of current disability.,The Veteran's claim for residuals of an ulnar nerve injury is denied as there is no evidence of current disability or functional impairment due to such injuries.,The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied as the disability was not shown during active service and within one year after separation.
The deciding factor: Service treatment records do not show any diagnosis of arthritis. The January 2015 VA examination found no pathology or disease associated with this condition.,The January 2015 VA examination also found no current disability or functional impairment due to ulnar nerve injury, and the Veteran denied having such symptoms outside of his service-connected ankle disabilities.,Service treatment records do not show any diagnosis of hearing loss. The June 2013, September 2013, and November 2013 VA examination reports noted hypertension but did not diagnose it as a disability.
- Claimed conditions
- Generalized Arthritis Condition, Residuals of an Ulnar Nerve Injury, Bilateral Hearing Loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 22, 2022
- Citation
- 22053979
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 22053979.
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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