The Veteran's appeal for service connection for macular degeneration as secondary to medications taken for a kidney disorder is dismissed due to the duty to assist error and the subsequent issuance of a rating decision denying the claim on the merits.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus is denied because both conditions preexisted service and there was no evidence of aggravation during service.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's macular degeneration is secondary to medications taken for his kidney disorder, but the appeal is dismissed due to a duty to assist error.,Bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not shown to have preexisted service or been aggravated by service. The Veteran did not provide evidence of an increase in disability during service.
- Claimed conditions
- macular degeneration, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 9, 2026
- Citation
- A26033019
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 A26033019.
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A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot.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.
- 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 service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
- 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.
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