The Board denied the claim for a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities, finding that the Veteran's tinnitus alone did not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner’s medical opinion was based on a comprehensive review of the Veteran's medical history and current complaints. The Board acknowledged the Veteran's contention but found his statements do not support the inability to establish and maintain gainful employment due solely to service-connected tinnitus, which is attributed to non-service-connected disabilities.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, PTSD
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- April 17, 2019
- Citation
- 19129828
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 1,911 · Granted: 10% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 19129828.
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.
- Granted
The Board of Veterans' Appeals has granted service connection for PTSD and Mood Disorders, both presumed conditions under the PACT Act.
- 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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