The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and PTSD, with a noncompensable rating initially assigned for PTSD. The Veteran's tinnitus was found to be incurred in service due to noise exposure during his tour of duty in Vietnam. For PTSD, the Board determined that there was sufficient evidence to establish continuity of symptoms since service, leading to an initial 10 percent disability rating.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran had a current diagnosis of tinnitus and PTSD, with credible reports of noise exposure during service and post-service symptomatology. The Board also noted that the Veteran's statements regarding his in-service noise exposure were consistent with his military occupational specialty as a Guard and Watchman.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- June 23, 2010
- Citation
- 1023353
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 1023353.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
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 asthma and remanded claims for insomnia and sleep apnea. Other conditions were denied.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include unspecified depressive disorder with social anxiety disorder and PTSD, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for tinnitus to correct a duty to assist error, as the Veteran's lay statements regarding onset and continuity of symptoms were not adequately considered in the previous decision.
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