The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The decision also remanded several issues, including those related to the Veteran's back disability, right knee disability, ingrown toenails, left knee disorder, bilateral hearing loss, lung disorder (claimed as asbestosis), nasal disorder, headaches, psychiatric disorder, thyroid disorder, bilateral foot disorder, sleep apnea, gastrointestinal disorder, and liver disorder.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not meet the criteria for higher ratings based on the Veteran's conditions. The claims were remanded due to insufficient evidence or procedural issues.
- Claimed conditions
- Right Knee, Back, Tinnitus, Ingrown Toenails, Left Knee Disorder (claimed as left knee disorder), Bilateral Hearing Loss (claimed as bilateral hearing loss), Lung Disorder (claimed as lung disorder, claimed as asbestosis), Nasal Disorder (claimed as nasal disorder, to include rhinitis), Headaches, Psychiatric Disorder (deemed depression and deemed secondary to a service-connected disability), Thyroid Disorder, Bilateral Foot Disorder (claimed as bilateral foot disorder, to include flat feet and Morton's neuroma), Sleep Apnea, Gastrointestinal Disorder (claimed as gastrointestinal disorder, to include diverticulitis and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)), Liver Disorder (claimed as liver disorder, claimed as chronic liver disease and steatohepatitis)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 5, 2019
- Citation
- 19126368
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 bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to in-service noise exposure.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an effective date of May 17, 2019, for a 70 percent disability rating for PTSD but denied earlier effective dates for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.
- Partly granted
The Board granted readjudication of previously denied claims for service connection for PTSD and COPD, while remanding other issues including entitlement to service connection for an eye disorder, hypertension, tinnitus, a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, TDIU, and an initial rating for PTSD.
- Dismissed
The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus due to a lack of jurisdiction.
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