The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, respiratory disability (COPD, chronic bronchitis, and chronic cough), bilateral hip disability, and bilateral knee patellofemoral pain syndrome. The 10 percent rating for tinnitus was also denied.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not support a finding of a current disability related to the claimed conditions during or after service, and there was no credible evidence linking the respiratory condition to in-service exposure or the hip and knee disabilities to an injury incurred in service. The Veteran's tinnitus had already been assigned the maximum 10 percent rating.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral hearing loss, Respiratory disability (COPD, chronic bronchitis, chronic cough), Bilateral hip disability, Bilateral knee patellofemoral pain syndrome
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 8, 2024
- Citation
- 24001108
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for asthma and remanded claims for insomnia and sleep apnea. Other conditions were denied.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, as there was no evidence of a current disability in the right ear and insufficient evidence to establish a nexus between the left ear hearing loss and service.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the matter for a medical clarification regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected epilepsy has aggravated his bilateral hearing loss.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss to obtain an addendum opinion addressing the Veteran's lay statements regarding in-service acoustic trauma and a rocket blast injury.
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