The Board dismissed the appeals for hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as the appeal regarding an earlier effective date for coronary artery disease. The Veteran's claim of service connection for coronary artery disease was previously denied in February 2013 due to lack of evidence supporting his active service in Vietnam. However, a subsequent buddy statement and review of service treatment records indicated he served in Vietnam. The earliest possible effective date is June 20, 2016, the date the Veteran's petition to reopen his previously denied claim was received.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there was no clear and unmistakable error (CUE) in the February 2013 rating decision denying service connection for coronary artery disease due to lack of evidence supporting active service in Vietnam. The effective date is set at June 20, 2016, when the Veteran's petition to reopen his previously denied claim was received.
- Claimed conditions
- hearing loss, tinnitus, coronary artery disease
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 4, 2018
- Citation
- 18155627
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 18155627.
What this means for you
A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot. It says more about procedure than about whether a claim like this can win.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for his service-connected coronary artery disease, finding that the evidence did not support a higher rating based on the severity of his condition.
- 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.
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