The Board has denied all service connection claims and increased rating claims for various conditions, including carpal tunnel syndrome of the left wrist, sinusitis, obstructive sleep apnea, coronary artery disease (CAD), bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a sliding hiatal hernia with associated gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) with noncardiac chest pain.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there was no evidence of chronic disability related to service or a service-connected condition for the majority of the conditions. The Veteran's statements regarding his in-service experiences were not considered credible, and medical opinions provided by VA examiners supported this conclusion.
- Claimed conditions
- Carpal tunnel syndrome, left wrist, Sinusitis, Obstructive sleep apnea, Coronary artery disease (CAD), Left knee disability, Right knee disability, Bilateral hearing loss, Tinnitus, Sliding hiatal hernia with associated gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) with noncardiac chest pain
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 8, 2018
- Citation
- 18148915
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 18148915.
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 service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for a low back disorder was reopened, and his claims for increased ratings of bilateral knee instability were granted. His hearing loss claim was denied.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for a higher rating for PTSD and dismissed his appeals regarding increased ratings for tinnitus and a right hand disability due to lack of timely filing of Notice of Disagreement.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for SMC based on aid and attendance from June 1, 2011, to May 24, 2017, finding that his need for regular aid and attendance was not established during this period.
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