The Veteran's left hip osteoarthritis was not shown as chronic in service and did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period. The disability is not otherwise etiologically related to an in-service injury or disease.,The preponderance of the evidence is against finding that the Veteran’s CAD, valvular heart disease, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, and cardiac arrest with multiple stent placements began during active service or is otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.
The deciding factor: There was no evidence of left hip osteoarthritis during service. The Veteran's separation examination showed all systems were normal, and there are no records indicating any complaints or treatment for the condition.,The Veteran’s STRs do not show any heart conditions. His heart and vascular systems were marked 'normal' at both his discharge and reserve examinations. There is also a lack of evidence linking these current conditions to service.
- Claimed conditions
- hypertropia of the eyes (strabismus), left hip osteoarthritis, coronary artery disease (CAD), valvular heart disease, atherosclerosis of the aorta, oral and skin cancer disfigurement, hypothyroidism, transient ischemic attacks (TIAs), Alzheimer’s type dementia, an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include major depressive disorder (MDD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- June 25, 2019
- Citation
- 19149242
What this means for you
A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot. It says more about procedure than about whether a claim like this can win.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for a deviated septum and denied compensable ratings for allergic rhinitis, chronic sinusitis, hypothyroidism, and hypertension.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for hypothyroidism, as it is presumptively linked to herbicide agent exposure during the Veteran's service in Vietnam.
- Granted
The Veteran is granted a 100 percent rating for valvular heart disease based on MET testing showing that at a workload of 3 METs or less, the condition results in fatigue and breathlessness.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for left foot bursitis and coronary artery disease, as well as special monthly compensation based on housebound status.
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