The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and denied increased ratings for left ankle arthritis, right ankle sprain, and right knee tendonitis. The remaining issues were remanded.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not show a current disability for VA purposes or sufficient limitation of motion to warrant higher ratings under the applicable criteria.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral hearing loss, Left ankle degenerative arthritis, Right ankle sprain, Right knee tendonitis, Left knee disability (secondary to right knee tendonitis), Right shoulder disability, Left shoulder disability, Cervical spine disability, Right hip disability (secondary to lumbar spine degenerative disc disease with spondylosis), Left hip disability (secondary to lumbar spine degenerative disc disease with spondylosis), Lumbar spine degenerative disc disease with spondylosis, Left lower extremity radiculopathy (secondary to lumbar spine degenerative disc disease with spondylosis), Right lower extremity radiculopathy (secondary to lumbar spine degenerative disc disease with spondylosis)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 9, 2024
- Citation
- 24001383
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.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for right and left shoulder disabilities, as the evidence did not support a higher rating under applicable criteria.
- 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.
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.