The Veteran's left knee disability is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability during the pendency of the claim.,The Veteran's right knee disability, including as secondary to his left knee condition, is denied due to lack of service-connected disability and insufficient evidence linking it to service or a service-connected disability.,The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is denied as there was no in-service event, injury, or disease, and the August 2017 private provider opinion is inadequate.,The Veteran's tinnitus is denied due to lack of an in-service onset and insufficient evidence linking it to service.,The Veteran's kidney disability is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability during the pendency of the claim.
The deciding factor: There is not a current disability for left knee disability, right knee disability (secondary), bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, or kidney disability. The preponderance of the evidence does not support service connection for any of these conditions.,The Veteran's right knee disability and bilateral hearing loss are denied as there was no in-service event, injury, or disease, and insufficient evidence linking them to service.,Tinnitus is denied due to lack of an in-service onset and insufficient evidence linking it to service. The Veteran's kidney disability is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability during the pendency of the claim.
- Claimed conditions
- left knee disability, right knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, kidney disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 3, 2019
- Citation
- A19003222
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 A19003222.
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 Board remands the claim for service connection for tinnitus to correct a duty to assist error, as the Veteran's lay statements regarding onset and continuity of symptoms were not adequately considered in the previous decision.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for tinnitus, cubital tunnel syndrome, right plantar fasciitis, and a right knee disability due to the lack of evidence supporting a nexus between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of April 25, 2022, for the award of service connection for tinnitus and a 100 percent initial rating for PTSD with alcohol use disorder.
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