The Veteran's appeal for service connection of major depressive disorder was withdrawn. Service connection for right and left ear hearing loss, left knee chondromalacia, skin disability, spondylosis of the back, and sleep apnea were granted. The Veteran's appeals for head injury residuals (right and left shoulders), right shoulder disability, and left shoulder disability were denied.
The deciding factor: The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection of major depressive disorder. Service connection was established for hearing loss in both ears, left knee chondromalacia, skin disability, spondylosis of the back, and sleep apnea based on direct evidence of a nexus to service. The appeals for head injury residuals (right and left shoulders), right shoulder disability, and left shoulder disability were denied as there was no current diagnosis or established link to service.
- Claimed conditions
- Major depressive disorder, Right ear hearing loss, Left ear hearing loss, Left knee chondromalacia, Skin disability, Spondylosis of the back, Sleep apnea, Headaches, Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Right shoulder disability, Left shoulder disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- December 12, 2019
- Citation
- 19193542
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 19193542.
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A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot.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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for chronic headaches, CFS, dermatosis, bilateral RLS, a lumbar spine disability, and sleep apnea but denied a compensable evaluation for allergic rhinitis.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for increased ratings for right and left shoulder disabilities, as the evidence did not support a higher rating under applicable criteria.
- Partly granted
The Board granted a 20 percent rating for the Veteran's left knee strain, service connection for right ear hearing loss, and service connection for a right ankle disorder. Other claims were denied or remanded.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the matters for additional development, including obtaining private treatment records and conducting VA examinations.
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