The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including hearing loss and tinnitus, due to the lack of evidence showing an increase in disability during service. Service connection was not granted as the Veteran's preexisting hearing loss did not undergo any progression during his active duty.
The deciding factor: The VA examiners found no significant threshold shift on the 1990 audiogram when compared to the 1982 entrance examination, concluding that the pre-existing hearing loss was unlikely aggravated beyond its natural progression as a result of military noise exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- left arm disorder, left hand disorder, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, left lower extremity sciatic radiculopathy, left lower extremity femoral nerve radiculopathy, right hip strain with limitation of extension, right hip strain with impairment of thigh, right hip strain with limitation of flexion
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 16, 2023
- Citation
- 23045638
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 23045638.
What this means for you
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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 service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, arthritis, and memory loss. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
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