The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss claim is denied as he does not have a current disability for VA purposes.,Service connection is granted for the lumbar spine disability, right lower extremity radiculopathy, right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, right knee disability, and left knee disability. Service connection is also granted for the cervical spine disability.
The deciding factor: The evidence does not establish a current hearing loss disability in either ear as defined by VA regulation.,The September 2016 VA examiner opined that the Veteran's current back diagnosis was less likely than not incurred in or caused by complaints of back pain during service. The opinion is based on the absence of records suggesting continued back condition after treatment in 1984 and the lack of evidence to establish a nexus between the current back condition and military service.,Dr. D.M.'s medical opinion supports that the Veteran's thoracolumbar spine disability, including right lower extremity radiculopathy, right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, right knee disability, and left knee disability are at least as likely as not related to multiple injuries sustained during active duty service.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, lumbar spine disability (claimed as back pain), right lower extremity radiculopathy, right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, cervical spine disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 7, 2023
- Citation
- 23027087
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 23027087.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's right shoulder disability and migraines/chronic headaches are remanded for additional development due to insufficient opinions on the etiology of her conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including a new VA examination to assess his bilateral knee and hip disabilities.
- 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.
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