The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a compensable initial evaluation for bilateral hearing loss disability and remanded claims for service connection for neurological disabilities in the upper and lower extremities.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not support a finding that the Veteran's hearing acuity was worse than Level I in either ear, and there was no persuasive evidence of an exceptional pattern of hearing impairment. The Board also found that the VA treatment records were obtained and reviewed consistent with 38 C.F.R. § 3.103(c)(2)(iii) and the AMA framework.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral hearing loss disability, Left upper extremity neurological disability (claimed as carpal tunnel syndrome), Right upper extremity neurological disability (claimed as carpal tunnel syndrome), Left lower extremity neurological disability (claimed as peripheral neuropathy), Right lower extremity neurological disability (claimed as peripheral neuropathy)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 4, 2025
- Citation
- A25031410
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 Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus due to a lack of jurisdiction.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability as the evidence did not support a nexus between the disability and service.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a heart disability, granted service connection for bilateral tinnitus and right knee osteochondritis dissecans, anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear s/p ACL reconstruction, and denied an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder with generalized anxiety disorder.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claims for service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus to correct pre-decisional errors in fulfilling its duty to assist the appellant with the development of his claims.
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