The Veteran's left ear hearing loss and bilateral tinnitus were not related to service, as there was no evidence of in-service noise exposure or continuity of symptoms.,PTSD was denied due to lack of credible supporting evidence for the claimed stressors. Sleep apnea was denied because there is no evidence of a current disability that began during service.,Low back disorder and right-sided sciatica were not related to service, as there are no records indicating an in-service injury or chronic symptoms after separation.,Right ankle disorder was also not related to service, with the absence of any documented injuries or relevant symptoms.
The deciding factor: The Veteran did not have a hearing loss disability for VA compensation purposes and his tinnitus began more than 10 years after service. The Board found no evidence of in-service noise exposure causing these conditions.,PTSD was denied because the claimed stressors were not corroborated by official records, and there is no evidence of sleep apnea during service or within one year post-separation.,Low back disorder and right-sided sciatica were not related to service due to lack of documented injuries or relevant symptoms. The Veteran's contentions about in-service motor vehicle accidents are not credible.,Right ankle disorder was denied because there is no evidence of an in-service injury, and the Veteran did not report any right ankle issues until after separation.
- Claimed conditions
- left ear hearing loss, bilateral tinnitus, sleep apnea, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), low back disorder, right-sided sciatica, right ankle disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 23, 2020
- Citation
- 20028533
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 20028533.
What this means for you
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What you can do next
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