The Veteran's claims for service connection for left and right knee disabilities, tinnitus, heart disability, hypertension, peripheral artery disease (left lower extremity), peripheral artery disease (right lower extremity), and stroke residuals were denied as the evidence did not establish a link between these conditions and his military service.,Service connection was also denied for an initial compensable rating for surgical scars of the posterior torso and effective dates prior to specific dates for various service connection awards.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's claims were based on direct evidence, without any presumption or secondary relationship to a previously service-connected condition. The medical records did not show a link between these conditions and his military service.,Service connection was denied as the evidence did not establish a nexus between the claimed disabilities and the Veteran’s period of active duty.
- Claimed conditions
- left knee disability, right knee disability, tinnitus, heart disability, hypertension, peripheral artery disease (left lower extremity), peripheral artery disease (right lower extremity), stroke residuals
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 23, 2019
- Citation
- 19131739
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 an effective date of October 21, 2021, for the grant of service connection for hypertension.
- Dismissed
The appeal for a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss, service connection for right ear hearing loss, and bilateral vision condition was dismissed. Service connection for hypertension, congestive heart failure, and coronary artery disease was denied.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including prostate cancer and related disabilities, urinary incontinence, sleep apnea, hypertension, varicose veins, lumbar spine disability, hip arthritis, shoulder arthritis, ankle arthritis, knee strain, knee replacement, and hand arthritis. The only condition granted was a 10 percent rating for a fracture of the right proximal first metacarpal.
- 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.
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