The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and various increased rating claims, as well as effective date claims, while remanding the claim for service connection for Hodgkin's disease.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not support a finding of current disability or in-service incurrence for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran’s right eye disability was evaluated based on visual acuity and field defects, which did not meet criteria for higher ratings. Other conditions were denied due to insufficient evidence of worsening beyond the assigned ratings.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral hearing loss, Right eye disability, Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Cervical strain, Lumbar strain, Right upper extremity radiculopathy, Left lower extremity radiculopathy, Right lower extremity radiculopathy, Tinnitus, Hodgkin's disease
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 18, 2025
- Citation
- A25025107
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 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 matters for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records and conducting VA examinations.
- 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.
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.