The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a left knee disorder, and a right knee disorder. The claims were remanded for further development of the evidence regarding the knees and the right hip.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's reported symptoms did not meet the criteria for a current disability as defined by VA regulation, or there was no competent and credible opinion linking the claimed conditions to service.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral hearing loss, Tinnitus, Left knee disorder, Right knee disorder, Status post stress fracture sacroiliac joint residuals of the right hip with limitation of flexion, Status post stress fracture sacroiliac joint residuals of the right hip with limitation of extension
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 10, 2024
- Citation
- A24065231
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 claims for annual clothing allowances for a left knee sleeve, A&D ointment, hydrocortisone cream, and incontinence briefs due to lack of service connection or evidence that these items cause irreparable damage to outer garments.
- 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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to in-service noise exposure.
- 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.
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