The Veteran's peripheral vestibular disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are rated at 100% effective May 31, 2011. An initial rating of 70% for a mood disorder is granted. A separate 20% rating for left knee semilunar cartilage condition is granted under Diagnostic Code 5258. Effective July 20, 2011, the Veteran's hearing impairment is rated at 30%. The appeal as to an effective date prior to July 20, 2011 for a 30% rating for bilateral hearing loss is moot.
The deciding factor: The evidence shows that the Veteran suffers from multiple service-connected disabilities that are currently rated together under Diagnostic Code 6205 (Meniere’s syndrome), resulting in a combined evaluation of 100%. The appeal as to an effective date prior to July 20, 2011 for a 30% rating for bilateral hearing loss is moot.
- Claimed conditions
- Peripheral Vestibular Disorder (Vertigo), Bilateral Hearing Loss, Tinnitus, Mood Disorder, Residuals of Right Index Finger Injury, Left Knee Disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- November 4, 2020
- Citation
- 20071211
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 20071211.
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.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for depressive disorder as secondary to hypertension and tinnitus, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and an increased rating for hypertension.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, but remanded the claim for degenerative disc disease with degenerative arthritis.
- 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.
- 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.
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