The Board has dismissed all the Veteran's claims for service connection as they are not related to his active duty service.
The deciding factor: The Veteran died during the pendency of the appeal, and due to the death of the appellant, the Board has no jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of this appeal at this time.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral hearing loss, congestive heart failure (CHF) with dyslipidemia, cardiovascular disorder, to include right bundle branch block, cardiovascular disorder, to include ventricular tachycardia and ventricular hypertrophy, peripheral vascular disease, to include atherosclerotic vascular condition of the right and left legs, kidney disability, urinary incontinence, hypokalemia, normocytic anemia, Paget's disease of the bones, inability to walk, confinement to a wheelchair, cervical spine disability, to include arthritis, thoracolumbar spine disability, to include arthritis, right and left hip disability, to include arthritis with joint deformity, pain and limited range motion, left iliac sclerosis, right and left knee disability, to include arthritis with pain and limited range of motion, bilateral cataracts, respiratory disability manifested by dyspnea, head injury, to include subdural hemorrhage, vasovagal syncope, also claimed as syncopal episode, Parkinson’s disease, to include cognitive impairment, depression
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- August 6, 2020
- Citation
- 20052323
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 20052323.
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A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot.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.
- 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 bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, and PTSD due to additional development of records and examination.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss claim, specifically needing an addendum opinion from a VA examiner. The Veteran will be asked to provide any missing records and former employers' information.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.