The Veteran's claim for a separate 10 percent rating for tinnitus from August 26, 2013 is granted. The earlier effective date and compensable rating claims are remanded.
The deciding factor: The evidence was in relative equipoise as to whether the service-connected bilateral hearing loss with tinnitus resulted in recurrent tinnitus for the entire period on appeal.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, PTSD (posttraumatic stress disorder), major depressive disorder, alcohol use disorder, unspecified neurocognitive disorder
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- May 20, 2020
- Citation
- 20035275
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 20035275.
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.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for specially-adapted housing assistance and a special home adaptation grant was denied because he does not meet the criteria for either benefit based on his service-connected disabilities.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
- 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.
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