The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied, while his claim for hemorrhoids as secondary to hypertension was granted. The Veteran received a 10 percent increased rating for sinusitis but the request for a higher rating in excess of 50 percent for obstructive sleep apnea with asthma was denied.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not meet the criteria for service connection due to hearing loss and tinnitus, as there was no documented hearing loss or tinnitus during service. The VA examiner concluded that the Veteran's tinnitus began after service separation and was not related to in-service noise exposure. For sinusitis, the Board found that the Veteran had two non-incapacitating episodes per year, which aligned with a 10 percent rating under DC 6513.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, hemorrhoids, sinusitis, obstructive sleep apnea with asthma
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- October 10, 2024
- Citation
- A24065270
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 3,217 · Granted: 46% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 A24065270.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, arthritis, and memory loss. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
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