The Board denied service connection for right and left ear hearing loss, tinnitus, a neck condition, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a right hip condition, and a left hip condition. The Board also denied earlier effective dates for the grants of service connection for migraine headaches, allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, and an increased rating for lumbar spine degenerative disc disease (DDD) with intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS).
The deciding factor: The evidence did not support a nexus between the Veteran's current hearing loss, tinnitus, neck condition, OSA, right hip condition, left hip condition, migraine headaches, allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, and lumbar spine degenerative disc disease with intervertebral disc syndrome and his active-duty service.
- Claimed conditions
- right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, tinnitus, neck condition, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), right hip condition, left hip condition
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 20, 2025
- Citation
- A25025895
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.
- Dismissed
The appeal for a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss, service connection for right ear hearing loss, and bilateral vision condition was dismissed. Service connection for hypertension, congestive heart failure, and coronary artery disease was denied.
- Partly granted
The Veteran was granted a 70 percent initial disability rating for PTSD effective December 2, 2021, but the claim for an increased rating in excess of 70 percent was denied. The appeal also included claims for service connection and ratings for various conditions, some of which were granted while others were remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for tinnitus to correct a duty to assist error, as the Veteran's lay statements regarding onset and continuity of symptoms were not adequately considered in the previous decision.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
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