The Veteran's claims for service connection for acute pharyngitis, athlete’s heart syndrome, myalgia and myositis, acute lumbosacral strain, bilateral hearing loss, left shoulder disability (acute shoulder strain), sleep apnea, varicocele and/or orchitis disability, actinic keratosis, and headaches have been dismissed.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for left knee disability and right knee disability are being remanded.
The deciding factor: Resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran’s favor, the probative evidence of record demonstrates his left shoulder disability (acute shoulder strain) was incurred during active service. The preponderance of the evidence is against finding that he has a varicocele and/or orchitis disability at any time during or approximate to the pendency of the claim. Resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran’s favor, the probative evidence of record demonstrates his headaches (migraine headaches) are proximately due to his service-connected traumatic brain injury (TBI). The preponderance of the evidence is against finding that he has a varicocele and/or orchitis disability at any time during or approximate to the pendency of the claim. Resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran’s favor, the probative evidence of record demonstrates his actinic keratosis was incurred during active service.,The preponderance of the evidence is against finding that he has a varicocele and/or orchitis disability at any time during or approximate to the pendency of the claim. The preponderance of the evidence is against finding that he has a varicocele and/or orchitis disability at any time during or approximate to the pendency of the claim.
- Claimed conditions
- Acute pharyngitis, Athlete's heart syndrome, Myalgia and myositis, Acute lumbosacral strain, Bilateral hearing loss, Left shoulder disability (acute shoulder strain), Sleep apnea, Varicocele and/or orchitis disability, Actinic keratosis, Headaches (migraine headaches), TMJ dysfunction with bruxism
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 20, 2020
- Citation
- 20013351
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 20013351.
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.
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The Veteran's claim for a low back disorder was reopened, and his claims for increased ratings of bilateral knee instability were granted. His hearing loss claim was denied.
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The Veteran's appeals of the initial ratings for his service-connected chronic cough and bilateral hearing loss are remanded due to procedural errors in the evidentiary record.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral pes planus with hammer toes, hallux valgus and degenerative arthritis, sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and bilateral kidney cysts, rendered him unable to secure or follow gainful employment. The Board granted the TDIU based on these conditions.
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