The Veteran's appeal for left elbow strain was dismissed as he withdrew the claim prior to a decision.,Tinnitus has been granted service connection based on in-service noise exposure and continuity of symptoms since service.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran’s tinnitus is less likely than not caused by or related to military noise exposure, but after considering all evidence, including his lay statements regarding onset and continuity of symptoms, the Board concluded that a continuity of symptomatology has been established sufficient for service connection.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, facet arthritis with lumbar strain, degenerative disc disease (DDD), anterior subluxation, herniated nucleus pulposis and scars (low back), left elbow strain, tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 4, 2019
- Citation
- 19191408
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 3,038 · Granted: 30% (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 19191408.
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A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot.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.
- 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 claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, arthritis, and memory loss. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
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