The Board denied service connection for left foot joint arthritis, left ankle joint arthritis, right ankle joint arthritis, right foot joint arthritis, and loss of smell. The Board also denied an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and a higher rating for bilateral tinnitus.
The deciding factor: The evidence did not persuasively support the presence of the claimed conditions or their relationship to service.
- Claimed conditions
- left foot joint arthritis, left ankle joint arthritis, right ankle joint arthritis, right foot joint arthritis, loss of smell
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 5, 2025
- Citation
- A25105032
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,062 · Granted: 34% (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 A25105032.
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 on multiple conditions has been dismissed due to their death during the pendency of the appeal.
- Granted
Effective June 15, 2021, service connection for residuals of a stroke with neurological issues of the left leg and loss of balance has been granted.,Effective June 15, 2021, service connection for visual impairment has been granted.,Effective June 15, 2021, service connection for Parkinson's disease has been granted.,Effective June 15, 2021, service connection for a neurological disability of the left upper extremity has been granted.,Effective June 15, 2021, service connection for erectile dysfunction has been granted.,Effective March 3, 2022, service connection for a neurological disability of the right upper extremity has been granted.,Effective March 3, 2022, service connection for difficulty swallowing and chewing on the left side has been granted.,Effective March 3, 2022, service connection for stooped posture of the left side has been granted.,Effective March 3, 2022, service connection for stooped posture of the right side has been granted.,Effective March 3, 2022, service connection for loss of smell has been granted.
- Granted
The Veteran's TDIU and DEA claims were granted effective from May 6, 2020. His SMC claim was denied as his service-connected disabilities did not affect his ability to work.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for loss of smell, finding that there was no evidence showing a present disability and no nexus to military service or any service-connected condition.
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.