The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, a traumatic brain injury (TBI), and memory loss secondary to TBI due to lack of evidence supporting current diagnoses.
The deciding factor: The VA examiners determined that there was no valid audiometric data indicating a current disability of hearing loss. Additionally, the neurosurgeon who conducted the examination concluded that the Veteran does not have a diagnosis of a TBI and there is no other competent medical evidence to support such a diagnosis.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, traumatic brain injury (TBI), memory loss secondary to TBI
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 5, 2024
- Citation
- 24000782
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 Board granted service connection for left knee strain, right knee strain, right wrist strain, and TBI. The Veteran's PTSD rating was remanded for further development.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including bilateral hearing loss and various musculoskeletal issues, as well as an initial rating in excess of 0 percent for rhinitis. However, the Board granted a 70 percent rating for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- Dismissed
The veteran's appeal requests for service connection and increased ratings were denied due to untimeliness, as the appeals were not filed within one year of the respective rating decisions.
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