The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was denied, and his claims for increased ratings for PTSD were also denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of in-service noise exposure leading to current tinnitus, and there was no causal relationship between the Veteran's current PTSD symptoms and his military service.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's tinnitus is not related to active service due to its late onset, and the VA examiner found it less likely than not that the Veteran's tinnitus was caused by noise exposure in service. The Board also noted that there was no evidence of a nexus between the Veteran's current PTSD symptoms and his military service.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 30, 2014
- Citation
- 1448090
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 1448090.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders, including bipolar disorder and PTSD. The Veteran will be asked to provide additional medical records and undergo a VA 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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and major depressive disorder, is being remanded due to the need for additional development regarding his alleged stressors.
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