The Board denied the Veteran's claims for a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to April 4, 2018 and service connection for his neck disorder. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of a more severe disability warranting an increased rating or a link between the current condition and service.
The deciding factor: The VA examiners determined there was no chronicity of cervical pain post-service, and the Veteran's current degenerative arthritis was diagnosed in March 2021 with no evidence of an in-service injury prior to 1990.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, neck disorder, including cervical strain
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 30%
- Decision date
- September 29, 2022
- Citation
- 22055583
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 22055583.
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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