The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased evaluations have been remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the onset of his conditions during or within one year after service, as well as continuity since service. The Board also requested new VA examinations for his bilateral hearing loss, left hip condition, right hip condition, unspecified depressive disorder, chondromalacia of the knees, and sleep apnea.

The deciding factor: The evidence is insufficient to establish that the Veteran's conditions began during or within one year after service or with continuity since service. Therefore, new VA examinations are needed to determine if there was an in-service injury or event that led to his current disabilities.

Claimed conditions

{"condition_name":"Bilateral Hearing Loss","diagnosed_as":"Hearing acuity levels Level I in the right ear and Level II in the left ear"}, {"condition_name":"Degenerative Arthritis of the Spine","diagnosed_as":"No ascertained evidence that it began during service, within one year after discharge from service, or with continuity since service."}, {"condition_name":"Left Hip Condition","diagnosed_as":"No ascertained evidence that it began during service, within one year after discharge from service, or with continuity since service."}, {"condition_name":"Right Hip Condition","diagnosed_as":"No ascertained evidence that it began during service, within one year after discharge from service, or with continuity since service."}, {"condition_name":"Acquired Psychiatric Disorder (other than unspecified depressive disorder)","diagnosed_as":"PTSD was not diagnosed in service or prior to service, so there is no question of aggravation of non-service connected condition which is sleep apnea due to PTSD."}

How they argued it

Not specified

Exposure basis

None

Rating assigned

None in this decision

Decision date

November 16, 2020

Citation

20073193