The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and a rating in excess of 20 percent for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine with facet arthropathy, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service. The claim for total rating based on individual unemployability was also denied.
The deciding factor: The VA audiologist concluded that the Veteran's tinnitus and right ear hearing loss were not related to military noise exposure in the 1970s but rather to a singular cause after service not associated with acoustic trauma. The VA examiner found no evidence of degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine with facet arthropathy due to active service.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine with facet arthropathy
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- April 15, 2011
- Citation
- 1114851
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 1114851.
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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