The Veteran's claim for service connection for arthritis is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or in-service injury related to the condition.,Service connection for poor vision, claimed as cataracts, is denied due to lack of evidence linking the condition to service.,Bilateral hearing loss disability is not granted as there is insufficient evidence connecting it to service.,The Veteran's claim for a condition manifested by body weakness is denied because no current diagnosis was found.
The deciding factor: There is no contemporaneous evidence of arthritis, cataracts, or bilateral hearing loss during the Veteran’s active service. The earliest clinical evidence of these conditions are dated years after discharge.,The Veteran has not provided a credible lay history linking his poor vision to service and there is no other competent evidence relating it to an in-service event, injury, or disease.,There is insufficient evidence connecting the bilateral hearing loss disability to service. The earliest clinical evidence of this condition is dated years after discharge.,The Veteran has not provided a credible lay history linking his body weakness to service and there is no other competent evidence relating it to an in-service event, injury, or disease.
- Claimed conditions
- arthritis, poor vision (cataracts), bilateral hearing loss disability, body weakness
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 11, 2020
- Citation
- 20059915
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 20059915.
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.
- 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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability due to inadequate examination and reasoning.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death and entitlement to DIC due to a failure to obtain a medical opinion prior to the rating decision on appeal regarding whether the Veteran's arthritis was related to his period of active service, and if so, whether it contributed to his death.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions regarding his diagnosed conditions, including mental health disorders, gastrointestinal issues, respiratory problems, arthritis, neuropathy, sleep apnea, erectile dysfunction, and headaches. The examination will also address whether any of these conditions were caused or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus.
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.