The Veteran's hearing loss is denied as there is no current disability meeting VA criteria.,Service connection for right knee arthritis and left knee arthritis is denied due to lack of evidence showing onset during service or within one year post-service, and the absence of a compensable degree of disability.,Low back disorder (arthritis and scoliosis) is denied as there was no chronic condition in service, and current symptoms are not related to service. Scoliosis is considered congenital and thus not subject to service connection.,PTSD is denied due to lack of evidence showing onset during service or within one year post-service.
The deciding factor: The Veteran does not have a present hearing loss disability as defined by VA regulations, and there is no credible evidence linking the current condition to service.,There is insufficient evidence to establish that right knee arthritis and left knee arthritis had their onset during service or within one year post-service. The absence of a compensable degree of disability further supports denial.,The Veteran's low back disorder (arthritis and scoliosis) did not manifest in service, nor was there any evidence showing it developed due to military service. Congenital scoliosis is not considered a disease for which service connection can be granted.,PTSD does not meet the criteria as there is no evidence of onset during service or within one year post-service.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, right knee arthritis, left knee arthritis, low back disorder (arthritis and scoliosis), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- July 30, 2019
- Citation
- 19158719
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 19158719.
What this means for you
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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.
- 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 case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including bipolar disorder and PTSD. The Veteran will be asked to provide additional medical records and undergo a VA examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, is being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding his alleged stressors.
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