The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and effective dates for various service-connected conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, sleep apnea, nerve problems (to include left side paralysis), and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The appeals are dismissed as without legal merit.
The deciding factor: The final decisions assigned the earliest possible effective dates for the grants of service connection, and any claims for earlier effective dates are barred by the doctrine of res judicata.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, sleep apnea, nerve problems (to include left side paralysis), acquired psychiatric disorder (depression and anxiety disorder)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 23, 2019
- Citation
- 19173975
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 19173975.
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.
- 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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