The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including left shoulder disability, sleep apnea, residuals of traumatic brain injury, tuberculosis, COPD, and bilateral hearing loss. The decision also denied a higher rating for PTSD prior to April 28, 2016, and an effective date earlier than April 28, 2016 for the grant of TDIU.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not establish that any of the claimed conditions had onset in service or were related to service. The Veteran's left shoulder disability was not shown to have manifested within one year following discharge and there was no medical evidence linking it to service. Similar findings were made for sleep apnea, TBI residuals, tuberculosis, COPD, and bilateral hearing loss.
- Claimed conditions
- left shoulder disability, sleep apnea, residuals of traumatic brain injury, tuberculosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bilateral hearing loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 25, 2021
- Citation
- 21010817
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 21010817.
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.
- 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.
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