The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been presented to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for tinnitus. The Veteran's representative suggested in November 2010 that his tinnitus is associated with his service-connected hearing loss, and provided several citations from The MERCK Manual in support of the contention. In February 2011, the Veteran submitted a statement documenting his recollection that his tinnitus began following his service in the engine room of the U.S.S. Truxton. The Veteran also confirmed that he did not have tinnitus prior to service on board the ship, but that he did experience it during and after his ship duty.
The deciding factor: The evidence received includes statements from both the Veteran and his representative suggesting a possible association between the Veteran's tinnitus and his service-connected hearing loss. The VA audiologist provided an opinion based on incomplete review of the record and without considering relevant medical literature or statements from the Veteran and his representative.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 5, 2013
- Citation
- 1340182
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 1340182.
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.
- 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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