The Veteran's tinnitus is found to have had its onset during service and the Board finds in favor of granting service connection for this condition.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to noise exposure during service. The Veteran’s claim for secondary service connection based on his service-connected generalized arthralgias is also denied.,The Veteran's sleep apnea is found to have had its onset during service and the Board finds in favor of granting service connection for this condition, as it is considered secondary to his service-connected generalized arthralgias. The claim for secondary service connection based on his service-connected esophagitis with hiatal hernia is also denied.,The Veteran's neck disorder is found not related to service and the Board finds in favor of denying service connection for this condition. The claims for secondary service connection based on his service-connected arthralgias are also denied.,The Veteran's neck scar is found not related to service and the Board finds in favor of denying service connection for this condition. The claims for secondary service connection based on his service-connected arthralgias are also denied.,The Veteran's right arm disorder is found not related to service and the Board finds in favor of denying service connection for this condition. The claim for secondary service connection based on his service-connected neck disorder is also denied.,The Veteran's left arm disorder is found not related to service and the Board finds in favor of denying service connection for this condition. The claim for secondary service connection based on his service-connected neck disorder is also denied.,The Veteran's low back scar is found not related to service and the Board finds in favor of denying service connection for this condition. The claims for secondary service connection based on his service-connected arthralgias are also denied.,The Veteran's right leg disorder is found not related to service and the Board finds in favor of denying service connection for this condition. The claim for secondary service connection based on his service-connected arthralgias is also denied.,The Veteran's left shoulder disorder separate and distinct from service-connected generalized arthralgia is found not related to service and the Board finds in favor of denying service connection for this condition.
The deciding factor: The Veteran’s tinnitus had its onset during service, as evidenced by his reports of experiencing ringing in his ears since service. The VA examiner's opinion was insufficient due to contradictory rationale and failure to consider the Veteran's lay statements regarding symptomatology.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied because there is no evidence of a current disability related to noise exposure during service. The claim for secondary service connection based on his service-connected generalized arthralgias is also denied.,The Veteran’s sleep apnea had its onset during service and the Board finds in favor of granting service connection, as it is considered secondary to his service-connected generalized arthralgias. The claim for secondary service connection based on his service-connected esophagitis with hiatal hernia is also denied.,Service connection for a neck disorder is denied because there is no evidence of a current disability related to in-service injury. The claims for secondary service connection based on his service-connected arthralgias are also denied.,Service connection for a neck scar is denied because there is no evidence of a current disability related to in-service injury. The claims for secondary service connection based on his service-connected arthralgias are also denied.,Service connection for right arm disorder is denied because there is no evidence of a current disability related to in-service injury. The claim for secondary service connection based on his service-connected neck disorder is also denied.,Service connection for left arm disorder is denied because there is no evidence of a current disability related to in-service injury. The claim for secondary service connection based on his service-connected neck disorder is also denied.,Service connection for a low back scar is denied because there is no evidence of a current disability related to in-service injury. The claims for secondary service connection based on his service-connected arthralgias are also denied.,Service connection for right leg disorder is denied because there is no evidence of a current disability related to in-service injury. The claim for secondary service connection based on his service-connected arthralgias is also denied.,Service connection for left shoulder disorder separate and distinct from service-connected generalized arthralgia is denied because there is no evidence of a current disability related to in-service injury.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, sleep apnea, neck disorder, neck scar, right arm disorder, left arm disorder, low back scar, right leg disorder, left shoulder disorder
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 5, 2020
- Citation
- 20009898
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 20009898.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
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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