The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied for various conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, nocturnal bruxism, a scar on the right eye following an accident, retinal degeneration, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity (claimed as bilateral sciatica), and other conditions. The Board found no current disabilities or sufficient evidence to establish service connection.
The deciding factor: The Veteran did not meet the criteria for a current disability of hearing loss for VA purposes under 38 C.F.R. § 3.385, and there was insufficient evidence of a disability at any point during the claim period or shortly before.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Nocturnal Bruxism, Scar on the Right Eye Following an Accident, Retinal Degeneration, Radiculopathy of the Left Lower Extremity (Bilateral Sciatica), Degenerative Arthritis of the Cervical Spine with IVDS, Degenerative Arthritis of the Thoracolumbar Spine with IVDS, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), Right Scrotal Nodule, Radiculopathy of the Right Lower Extremity Sciatic Nerve, Radiculopathy of the Right Lower Extremity, External Cutaneous, Painful and Unstable Scars Prior to September 14, 2021, Painful and Unstable Scars from September 14, 2021, Scar(s) Status Post Lipoma Removal and Right Groin, Neck Scar(s), Scar(s) of the Posterior Back and Status Post Melanoma Removal
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 22, 2024
- Citation
- 24008867
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 24008867.
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Granted
The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected. The claims for alcohol abuse and psychiatric disorder are remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The issue remains under direct service connection theory.
- Denied
The Veteran's hearing loss was rated at 30 percent, the highest non-compensable rating available. The Board found that his hearing loss did not warrant a higher rating based on VA examinations and medical records.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current hearing loss and his active service. The Board noted that while he had complaints of earaches in service, these did not indicate a current disability.
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