The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of in-service incurrence or a current link between any claimed conditions and his active service.
The deciding factor: The service treatment records do not show any treatment for ear infections, balance impairment, muscle rigidity, constipation, erectile dysfunction, or diabetes mellitus. The Veteran's statements were insufficient to establish the onset of these conditions during service.
- Claimed conditions
- Chronic left ear infection, Balance impairment associated with Parkinson disease, Muscle rigidity in left lower extremity, Muscle rigidity in right lower extremity, Constipation, Erectile dysfunction, Diabetes mellitus, type II
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 31, 2018
- Citation
- 18161198
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 18161198.
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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for major depressive disorder with anxious distress, alcohol use disorder, tension headaches, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and erectile dysfunction, all of which are found to be related to the Veteran's military service.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an effective date of May 29, 2019 for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder but denied earlier effective dates and increased ratings for other conditions.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) at the R(1) rate due to his need for regular aid and attendance.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an effective date of April 5, 2018, for the award of service connection for PTSD and denied earlier effective dates for erectile dysfunction, left ear hearing loss, migraines, and other conditions.
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