The Veteran's claims for hearing loss, tinnitus, respiratory disorder (asbestos), skin cancer, ruptured groin, left index finger amputation, double compound fracture of the right lower leg, diabetes mellitus type II, and syncope were denied. The VA found no evidence to support service connection for these conditions.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's hearing loss was rated at 0 percent as level I in both ears, which is the lowest possible rating under the applicable criteria. For tinnitus, a maximum 10 percent rating has been assigned and cannot be increased further. The VA found no evidence of asbestos-related respiratory disorder or skin cancer onset during service or within one year post-service discharge. Service connection was denied for syncope as there was no evidence prior to June 10, 2014, that could be construed as a formal or informal claim.
- Claimed conditions
- Hearing Loss, Tinnitus, Respiratory Disorder (Asbestos), Skin Cancer, Ruptured Groin, Left Index Finger Amputation, Double Compound Fracture, Right Lower Leg, Diabetes Mellitus Type II, Syncope
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 0%
- Decision date
- January 4, 2019
- Citation
- 19100740
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 961 · Granted: 20% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19100740.
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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.
- 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 has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including GAD, MDD, bruxism, migraines/headaches, tinnitus, hip pain, iliotibial band syndrome, and leg stress fractures. The evidence does not support current diagnoses of these conditions during the appeal period.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral pes planus with hammer toes, hallux valgus and degenerative arthritis, sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and bilateral kidney cysts, rendered him unable to secure or follow gainful employment. The Board granted the TDIU based on these conditions.
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