The Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss have been dismissed. The cause of death claim has been granted, with PTSD, depression, and alcohol abuse contributing to the Veteran’s death. Service connection for secondary alcohol abuse due to PTSD is also granted. The rating for PTSD remains at 30%.
The deciding factor: The Veteran withdrew his claims for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss during a hearing. His cause of death was attributed to depression, PTSD, and alcohol abuse, with the latter being found to be secondary to PTSD. Service connection for alcohol abuse due to PTSD is granted based on evidence showing it was caused by or aggravated by PTSD.
- Claimed conditions
- Tinnitus, Bilateral Hearing Loss, Hepatitis C
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 23, 2019
- Citation
- 19131437
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 19131437.
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A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot.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.
- Granted
The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to in-service noise exposure.
- Denied
The Board denied the veteran's claims for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD, entitlement to TDIU, and SMC based on housebound status.
- Partly granted
The Board granted an effective date of May 17, 2019, for a 70 percent disability rating for PTSD but denied earlier effective dates for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.
- Partly granted
The Board granted readjudication of previously denied claims for service connection for PTSD and COPD, while remanding other issues including entitlement to service connection for an eye disorder, hypertension, tinnitus, a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, TDIU, and an initial rating for PTSD.
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