The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection and rated at 10 percent.,The Veteran's tension headaches are granted a rating of 50 percent, the maximum available under Diagnostic Code 8100.,The Veteran's TBI is denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent.,The Veteran's arthritis of the left ankle is denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent.,The Veteran's arthritis of the spine remains remanded for further evaluation.
The deciding factor: The evidence supports a finding that the Veteran’s tinnitus was caused by his active duty service, and he has provided credible testimony regarding when it began. The VA examiner conceded noise exposure but found no nexus to current symptoms.,The private ARNP's opinion supported the Veteran's lay statements, indicating that his headaches are very frequent and prolonged, resulting in severe economic inadaptability.,The VA examination did not find a significant impact on work productivity from the Veteran’s TBI. The October 2019 DBQ indicated that the Veteran had very frequent prostrating attacks of headache pain, leading to absenteeism at work.,The Veteran's arthritis of the left ankle has been rated as noncompensable and there is no evidence suggesting a need for an increased rating based on current medical records.,The VA examination did not find significant cognitive impairment or other residual effects from TBI that would warrant a higher rating.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, tension headaches, arthritis of the left ankle, traumatic brain injury (TBI), arthritis of the spine
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 50%
- Decision date
- May 27, 2020
- Citation
- A20009327
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 A20009327.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
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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