The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, low back disability, and sleep apnea were granted. The claim for service connection for a low back disability was denied as the evidence did not establish that it began during his active military service or is otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner found no chronic disability shown by the service medical records, and concluded that the Veteran's complaint of low back pain during service did not result in a chronic disability. The evidence showed the Veteran was first seen for a complaint of back pain and diagnosed with DJD some 18 years after conclusion of his service.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, low back disability, sleep apnea
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 30, 2020
- Citation
- 20007686
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including prostate cancer and related disabilities, urinary incontinence, sleep apnea, hypertension, varicose veins, lumbar spine disability, hip arthritis, shoulder arthritis, ankle arthritis, knee strain, knee replacement, and hand arthritis. The only condition granted was a 10 percent rating for a fracture of the right proximal first metacarpal.
- 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).
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea as there is no evidence of an in-service injury or disease, and no competent evidence linking the condition to service.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for asthma and remanded claims for insomnia and sleep apnea. Other conditions were denied.
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