The Veteran's claims for service connection for left ear hearing loss, right ear hearing loss, nasal disorder (deviated septum), and obstructive sleep apnea have all been denied. The Board found that the medical evidence did not support a finding of in-service incurrence or aggravation for any of these conditions.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence did not provide sufficient information to establish an in-service event, injury, or illness for any of the claimed conditions.
- Claimed conditions
- left ear hearing loss, right ear hearing loss, nasal disorder (deviated septum), obstructive sleep apnea
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 3, 2020
- Citation
- A20017911
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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, effective from the date of the February 2025 rating decision.
- Dismissed
The appeal for a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss, service connection for right ear hearing loss, and bilateral vision condition was dismissed. Service connection for hypertension, congestive heart failure, and coronary artery disease was denied.
- 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).
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the issue of entitlement to service connection for obstructive sleep apnea due to a duty to assist error.
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