The Board denied the veteran's claims for higher evaluations and earlier effective dates, finding that the evidence did not support a rating in excess of the current ratings or an effective date prior to July 31, 1997. The veteran was granted total disability based on individual unemployability as of July 31, 1997.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher evaluation for defective hearing and tinnitus or an earlier effective date for total disability rating based on individual unemployability. The veteran's claim for increased rating for chronic depressive disorder was also denied as there was no factual basis to grant such a rating prior to July 31, 1997.
- Claimed conditions
- Defective Hearing, Tinnitus, Chronic Depressive Disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- February 16, 2000
- Citation
- 0004140
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 0004140.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for depressive disorder as secondary to hypertension and tinnitus, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an increased rating for hypertension.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, but remanded the claim for degenerative disc disease with degenerative arthritis.
- Partly granted
The Board granted readjudication of previously denied claims for service connection for PTSD and COPD, while remanding other issues including entitlement to service connection for an eye disorder, hypertension, tinnitus, a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, TDIU, and an initial rating for PTSD.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to in-service noise exposure.
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