The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and increased ratings have been denied as the earliest correspondence related to these issues is dated January 2, 2013.,The Veteran seeks an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus but this is not warranted given the maximum schedular rating available under Diagnostic Code 6260.
The deciding factor: There is no evidence of a claim prior to January 2, 2013, which is the earliest date on which the Veteran filed a formal or informal claim for service connection.,The maximum schedular rating available under Diagnostic Code 4.87, Diagnostic Code 6260, is 10 percent and there is no legal basis to award separate ratings for tinnitus in each ear.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, hearing loss, left hand disabilities
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 11, 2016
- Citation
- 1618984
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 1618984.
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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