The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, left hip disability, right knee disability, and migraine headaches are denied. The claim for PTSD is granted with a 30% evaluation effective from March 14, 2007.
The deciding factor: The medical evidence does not support the presence of current hearing loss or tinnitus disabilities as defined by VA regulations. For PTSD, the Veteran's symptoms do not meet the criteria for a higher initial rating prior to March 14, 2007, but they more nearly approximate the criteria for a 30% evaluation beginning from that date.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Tinnitus, Left Hip Disability, Right Knee Disability, Headache (Migraine), PTSD
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 28, 2009
- Citation
- 0936580
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 0936580.
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.
- Denied
The Veteran's service-connected knee disabilities are rated at 10% each, and the Board finds that higher ratings are not warranted based on the evidence of record.
- Granted
The Board of Veterans' Appeals has granted service connection for PTSD and Mood Disorders, both presumed conditions under the PACT Act.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.
- Denied
The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral knee disabilities are not related to his active service, and thus denied both claims for service connection.
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