The Veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss is denied. The Board has remanded the claims for lumbar back strain, right ankle residual status-post fracture, PTSD, complex cyst right kidney, and left ear hearing loss.
The deciding factor: The March 2018 VA examination did not find a current diagnosis of right ear hearing loss disability that met the standard of 38 C.F.R. § 3.385 in service or within a year of separation from service.
- Claimed conditions
- Right ear hearing loss, Lumbar back strain, Right ankle residual status-post fracture, Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Complex cyst right kidney, Left ear hearing loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 8, 2023
- Citation
- 23049611
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 23049611.
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.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) at the (o) rate and SMC at the (r)(2) rate, effective January 19, 2025. The decision finds that the Veteran's service-connected conditions warrant these awards due to his need for aid and attendance.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to insufficient evidence and need for additional examinations.
- Dismissed
The appeal for service connection for a right ear hearing loss disability is dismissed. The appeal for service connection for bilateral knee disabilities is denied.
- Denied
The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss disability does not meet or approximate criteria for a compensable (10%) disability rating at any point during the appeal period.
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