The VA denied the claim that the veteran's service-connected conditions contributed to his death. The Board found no evidence linking any of the veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his hearing loss and tinnitus, to his death.
The deciding factor: The VA provided adequate treatment for the veteran’s nonservice-connected ear disorders (chronic bilateral serous otitis), which were treated with steroids. There was no medical evidence showing that these conditions contributed to the cause of death (myocardial infarction).
- Claimed conditions
- Low back strain, Chondromalacia of the right knee, Chondromalacia of the left knee, Tinnitus of the left ear, High frequency hearing loss of the left ear, Residuals of a fracture of the right wrist, Residuals of a fracture of the fifth metacarpal of the right hand, Residuals of a fracture of the left elbow, Neuropathy of the left ulnar nerve
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 9, 2002
- Citation
- 0204262
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 0204262.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's hearing loss and low back strain claims are remanded for further evaluation. The hearing loss claim is denied, while the low back strain claim requires additional examination to determine its severity.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for low back strain, left shoulder, and supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) based on evidence showing a causal relationship to in-service events or injuries.
- Dismissed
The appeal is dismissed because the March 2020 rating decision, which granted service connection for a low back strain, was never issued and therefore not an appealable decision.
- Denied
The Veteran's initial rating for his service-connected low back strain was denied, as the current severity of his condition does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.
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