The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection for various conditions have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support granting a higher rating for bilateral hearing loss, or establishing service connection for cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), deviated septum, carpal tunnel syndrome of the upper extremities, acquired psychiatric disorder, heart disorder, hypertension, sleep apnea, and peripheral vascular disease.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating or service connection for any of the conditions listed.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), deviated septum, carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) of the left upper extremity, carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) of the right upper extremity, acquired psychiatric disorder (to include depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)), heart disorder, hypertension, sleep apnea, peripheral vascular disease (PVD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 2, 2026
- Citation
- A26009551
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation A26009551.
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 Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hypertension and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper and lower extremities due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, and PTSD due to additional development of records and examination.
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