The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, PTSD, heart dysfunction and mitral regurgitation, and skin cancer were denied. The claim for PTSD was reopened but not granted due to lack of corroborated in-service stressor and no medical evidence linking the current condition to service. Service connection for heart dysfunction and mitral regurgitation and skin cancer were also denied as there is no evidence of herbicide exposure.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's claims were denied because the provided evidence did not establish a link between his claimed conditions and his military service, particularly due to lack of corroborated in-service stressors for PTSD and insufficient evidence linking heart dysfunction and mitral regurgitation or skin cancer to active duty service.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), heart dysfunction and mitral regurgitation, skin cancer
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 31, 2019
- Citation
- 19197021
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 19197021.
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.
- Partly granted
The Veteran was granted a 70 percent initial disability rating for PTSD effective December 2, 2021, but the claim for an increased rating in excess of 70 percent was denied. The appeal also included claims for service connection and ratings for various conditions, some of which were granted while others were remanded.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Granted
The Board granted an effective date of October 17, 2022, for the grant of service connection for PTSD.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for headaches and increased ratings for left shoulder rotator cuff tear, right shoulder rotator cuff tear, hypertension, and left and right leg restless leg syndrome. The Board denied a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder.
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