The Veteran's claims for an earlier effective date for service connection for tinnitus and for a 20 percent evaluation for bilateral hearing loss were denied. The RO granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss in January 2005, with a noncompensable rating effective from September 14, 2004. He filed an increased rating claim on June 18, 2008, and was assigned a 20 percent evaluation effective the same day.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's claims were denied because there is no evidence of a factually ascertainable increase in disability for bilateral hearing loss within one year prior to his June 18, 2008 claim. The RO granted service connection and assigned an initial noncompensable rating effective from September 14, 2004.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- August 31, 2010
- Citation
- 1032782
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 1032782.
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 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).
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for multiple conditions, including bilateral hearing loss and various musculoskeletal issues, as well as an initial rating in excess of 0 percent for rhinitis. However, the Board granted a 70 percent rating for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
- 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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