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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a separate 20 percent rating for left knee chondromalacia under Diagnostic Code 5258, effective January 4, 2001.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for an increased rating for low back strain to correct a pre-decisional duty to assist error.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including the side effects of medication taken to treat his back disability, precluded substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and occupational experience.
- Denied
The Board denied increased ratings in excess of 10 percent for the Veteran's chondromalacia of the right knee and chondromalacia of the left knee.
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