The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and a back disability as secondary to his service-connected scar, residual of left leg injury. The claim for an initial rating higher than 10 percent for right hip disability is also denied.,Service connection was not granted for tinnitus because there is no evidence that it began in service or within the one-year presumptive period after service. The Board found that the Veteran's current tinnitus is more likely related to his non-service-connected bilateral hearing loss.,Regarding the back disability, the Board determined that it is less likely than not secondary to the service-connected left leg injury. The examiner noted that there was no indication of permanent neurological damage from the left leg injury and that the back disability began several decades after the left leg injury.
The deciding factor: The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to his service, as it first appeared years after service. The Board found that the current tinnitus is more likely due to non-service-connected bilateral hearing loss.,For the back disability, the VA examiner indicated that there was no indication that the current back disability was caused or aggravated by the residuals of the left leg injury. The examiner noted that the Veteran's back pain began several decades after the left leg injury and did not have any significant residual effects from the left leg injury.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, back disability, right hip disability
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 7, 2021
- Citation
- A21019491
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 A21019491.
What this means for you
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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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