Entitlement to service connection for a left elbow disability is denied.

Board reasoning

The Board found a current left elbow condition (left lateral epicondylitis) existed but linked it to a lack of in-service evidence and lack of a credible nexus to service, relying on STRs and post-service medical opinions as more probative than the veteran’s lay assertions. It emphasized the absence of left elbow complaints in service, the significant time gap before seeking treatment, and the lack of a medical diagnosis tying left elbow pathology to service; consequently, it denied service connection on direct basis after weighing the evidence in the veteran’s favor only insofar as a current disability existed.