The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates and increased ratings have been denied. The effective date for service connection for tinnitus is April 20, 2017, the earliest date of receipt of a claim.,For left knee disability (status post total left knee replacement), the effective date is June 24, 2015, based on the date of surgery. For left knee scar, the effective date is August 25, 2016, based on the date of receipt of a claim.,For right knee DJD with limitation of extension, the earliest effective date is October 21, 2015. The effective dates for other issues are April 20, 2017 and March 22, 2017 respectively.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's claims were not received prior to the respective effective dates.,For left knee disability (status post total left knee replacement), the earliest date of surgery was June 24, 2015. For left knee scar, the earliest claim was submitted on August 6, 2015.,The Veteran's right knee DJD with limitation of extension was first noted in October 2015.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, left knee disability (status post total left knee replacement), right knee DJD with limitation of extension, right knee instability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 31, 2020
- Citation
- 20022341
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 20022341.
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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