The Veteran's initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied.,An initial rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus was also denied.,Service connection for colon cancer, bladder cancer, and lung cancer were all denied.,Service connection for left knee disorder and right knee disorder were both denied.,Service connection for a left ankle disorder was not addressed as it did not meet the criteria for service connection.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's hearing loss was rated at level I, which is noncompensable. The VA examiner found that the testing results from 2016 were unreliable.,The Veteran’s tinnitus was rated at 10 percent, as it did not meet criteria for a higher rating based on functional effects and test reliability issues.,There was no evidence linking the Veteran's cancers to service or exposure to chemicals. The claim for lung cancer was denied due to lack of credible reports regarding asbestos exposure.,The Veteran’s knee disorders were not linked to service, as there was no indication that they manifested during active duty or INACDUTRA and no specific incident attributed to service.,Service connection for a left ankle disorder was not addressed.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, colon cancer, bladder cancer, lung cancer, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, left ankle disorder
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 18, 2019
- Citation
- 19130429
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,011 · Granted: 24% (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 19130429.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and providing proper notice regarding secondary service connection.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
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