Veterans’ RightsAn independent resource for veterans
← All decisions
Dismissed

The appeal for service connection for tinnitus is dismissed.,Service connection for a back condition, sciatic nerve radiculopathy in the right lower extremity, and sciatic nerve condition in the left lower extremity are denied.,Service connection for a neck condition, left shoulder condition, and left elbow condition are denied.

The deciding factor: The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection for tinnitus at the Board hearing.,There is no credible evidence linking the current back condition to active service. The earliest post-service treatment records regarding the Veteran's back condition were dated in January 2009, approximately 11 years after he separated from service.,The Veteran's testimony about a neck injury in 1982 does not align with medical records and examination findings.

Claimed conditions
tinnitus, back condition, sciatic nerve radiculopathy, right lower extremity, sciatic nerve condition, left lower extremity, neck condition, left shoulder condition, left elbow condition, right elbow condition
How they argued it
Direct service connection
Exposure basis
None
Rating assigned
None in this decision
Decision date
October 28, 2024
Citation
A24069319

Veterans Law Judge

MATTHEW W. BLACKWELDER

Decisions by this judge: 2,329 · Granted: 31% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)

Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.

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 A24069319.

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A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot.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.

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.