The Veteran's claim for service connection for testicular cancer is dismissed as he withdrew his appeal during a hearing.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied because the Veteran does not meet the auditory threshold criteria for VA purposes. The Board finds no evidence of current hearing loss disability.,Service connection for tinnitus is granted based on the Veteran's credible account and competent descriptions of ringing in ears since service, with reasonable doubt resolved in favor of the Veteran.,Service connection for colon cancer is denied as there is no indication that it began during service or was related to asbestos exposure. The evidence does not support a finding of current disability due to service-connected conditions.,The claim for service connection for a bilateral elbow disability secondary to colon cancer is also denied.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's testicular cancer appeal was dismissed as he withdrew his appeal during the hearing, and there is no evidence of current hearing loss or tinnitus meeting VA criteria. Service connection for tinnitus is granted based on credible testimony about ringing in ears since service. Colon cancer denial is due to lack of evidence showing onset during service or related to asbestos exposure.
- Claimed conditions
- testicular cancer, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, colon cancer, a bilateral elbow disability
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 12, 2019
- Citation
- 19192703
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,050 · Granted: 23% (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 19192703.
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A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot.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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