The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remanded claims for dermatitis, upper gastrointestinal disability, including GERD, sleep apnea, left shoulder, right shoulder, left knee, right knee, and left ankle disabilities due to pre-decisional failures of the duty to assist.
The deciding factor: The March 2023 VA examination did not find current hearing loss in either ear, and the evidence was against a finding of service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The claims for dermatitis, upper gastrointestinal disability, sleep apnea, shoulder, knee, and ankle disabilities required additional development due to potential TERA exposures.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, dermatitis, upper gastrointestinal disability, including gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), sleep apnea, left shoulder disability, right shoulder disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, left ankle disability, right ankle disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- Gulf War
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 8, 2025
- Citation
- A25032392
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
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- 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).
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for tinnitus, cubital tunnel syndrome, right plantar fasciitis, and a right knee disability due to the lack of evidence supporting a nexus between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea as there is no evidence of an in-service injury or disease, and no competent evidence linking the condition to service.
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