The Board denied a compensable rating for hearing loss and left eyebrow laceration, remanded an effective date prior to April 23, 2018, for the award of service connection for left femoral nerve radiculopathy, and considered other issues including service connection for a neck disability (secondary) and ratings for various conditions.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not support increased ratings due to the severity of the Veteran's hearing loss and left eyebrow laceration as measured by objective testing. The Board remanded certain issues for further development, including an effective date and service connection for a neck disability (secondary).
- Claimed conditions
- Hearing loss, Left eyebrow laceration, Left femoral nerve radiculopathy, Neck disability (unspecified), Degenerative disc disease of the thoracolumbar spine, Right lower extremity radiculopathy, Left sciatic nerve radiculopathy, Left femoral nerve radiculopathy (repeated)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 20, 2025
- Citation
- A25045135
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.
- Partly granted
The Veteran was granted an effective date of July 31, 2012, for TDIU and October 22, 2012, for service connection of left and right lower extremity radiculopathy.
- Denied
The appeal for higher ratings and effective dates for various conditions was denied, with the exception of left and right lower extremity radiculopathy which were granted an earlier effective date.
- Denied
The Board denied increased ratings for various disabilities and granted earlier effective dates for service connection of scars, but denied an earlier effective date for individual unemployability.
- Partly granted
The Veteran's cervical spine disability is granted a 30 percent rating, while the lumbar and lower extremity radiculopathy claims are denied. An earlier effective date for right lower extremity radiculopathy was granted, and TDIU based on single service-connected disability is remanded.
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