The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a compensable evaluation of left ear hearing loss due to his failure to report for scheduled examinations without good cause. The low back condition issue was remanded for further development.
The deciding factor: The Veteran failed to appear at scheduled VA examinations and did not provide an acceptable reason, leading to the denial of his claim under 38 C.F.R. § 3.655(b).
- Claimed conditions
- High frequency hearing loss, left ear, Lumbosacral strain (claimed as a low back condition)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 10, 2025
- Citation
- A25033205
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 special monthly compensation (SMC) at the housebound rate as he does not meet the criteria.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, as well as dismissed his appeals for these conditions.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for a medical examination to determine if the Veteran's current neck strain is related to his in-service activities.
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