The veteran's service-connected bilateral tinnitus is already receiving the maximum rating of 10 percent, and a separate evaluation for each ear is denied.
The deciding factor: The VA regulations only allow one 10% rating for tinnitus regardless if perceived as unilateral or bilateral.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating
- Not verified here — check the original decision
- Decision date
- September 7, 2006
- Citation
- 0627988
Veterans Law Judge
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. Search VA.gov for the original decision (opens in a new tab) using citation 0627988.
What this means for you
A final Board denial may be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, generally within 120 days of the Board mailing date. A Supplemental Claim with new and relevant evidence is a separate option. Another Higher-Level Review of the Board decision is not available. Check your own notice: this historical decision does not set your deadline.
What you can do next
Use your own notice and decision stage. A remanded issue is not a final court-appealable denial. VA review guidance and CAVC filing instructions (U.S. federal; reviewed October 7, 2026).
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral tinnitus was granted with a 10% disability rating effective October 30, 2020. The Board found that the earliest date of application for this claim is November 25, 2019.
- Whole decision: Granted
The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and bilateral tinnitus disabilities, finding that these conditions are related to in-service noise exposure.
- Whole decision: Dismissed
The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for bilateral tinnitus is dismissed as he has withdrawn his appeal.,The Veteran's claim for a compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to May 3, 2006, is denied.,The Veteran's claim for a disability rating of 10 percent, but no higher, for bilateral hearing loss from May 3, 2006, to November 2, 2023, is granted.,The Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss from November 3, 2023, and continuing, is denied.,The Veteran's claim for Total Disability Rating Based on Unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities is granted.
- Whole decision: Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for SMC based on the need for aid and attendance is remanded due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The Board finds that an examination is needed to determine if the Veteran requires aid and attendance of another person due to his service-connected disabilities alone.
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