The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for tinnitus, did not find new and material evidence to reopen his claim of left ear hearing loss, but found service connection established for a low back disorder. The other claims were also denied.
The deciding factor: The Veteran did not file his original claim within one year of discharge from active duty, which precluded an earlier effective date. New and material evidence was not submitted to reopen the claim of left ear hearing loss. Service connection was established for a low back disorder due to in-service injury, but no other service connection claims were granted.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, left ear hearing loss, low back disorder (degenerative joint disease), right foot injury, right knee disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 30, 2009
- Citation
- 0941486
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 0941486.
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.
- 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.
- Granted
The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The issues of foot disability and cardiovascular disorder are remanded for additional development.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that it is at least as likely as not that the Veteran experienced tinnitus during his active duty service.
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