The Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, left leg disability, right leg disability, and an acquired psych disorder have been denied as there is no evidence of a nexus between the current conditions and active military service.,Specifically, the Board found that the Veteran does not meet VA’s definition of hearing loss for the right ear. For the left ear, the Board concluded that there was insufficient medical evidence to establish a link between his current bilateral hearing loss and noise exposure in service.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's MOS as a utilities equipment repairer has a high probability of noise exposure; however, the November 2018 VA examination found no nexus between his current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss and military noise exposure. The examiner noted that there was no indication of permanent auditory damage on active duty and that the Veteran had normal audiograms in both 2003 and 2008.,For the left leg disability, the Board found insufficient medical evidence to establish a link between his current condition and service. The April 2017 primary care note indicated pain in the legs but no specific diagnosis or connection to service.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, left leg disability, right leg disability, acquired psych disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 27, 2023
- Citation
- 23053765
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 23053765.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has expanded the scope of the claim to include any mental health disorder raised by the record and has remanded for additional development regarding service connection for left leg, ankle, and psychiatric 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.
- 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.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.