The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of service connection for tinnitus, finding that the earliest effective date is the date of the petition to reopen rather than the date of the initial claim. The Veteran did not submit another claim prior to March 14, 2011.
The deciding factor: The Board determined that once a previous decision has become final, the earliest effective date of service connection is the date of the petition to reopen rather than the date of the initial claim. Since the April 1983 rating decision became final and the Veteran did not submit another claim for tinnitus prior to March 14, 2011, his claim must be denied.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- November 4, 2015
- Citation
- 1546704
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 1546704.
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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