The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected, with the effective date being January 1, 2015.,Total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) from October 24, 2011 is granted. The effective date for TDIU is January 1, 2015.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's tinnitus was noted to have begun within one year of separation from service and continued to the present, meeting the criteria for service connection under VA regulations.,The Veteran had a combined disability rating of 80 percent from October 24, 2011, which met the threshold requirement for TDIU. His disabilities included migraine headaches (50% disabling), PTSD (30% disabling), right ankle (30% disabling), right knee (10% disabling), left knee (10% disabling), conjunctivitis (10% disabling), and a noncompensable rating for the right ankle scar. His employment was considered protected due to his sister's involvement in hiring him, providing accommodations, and allowing time off.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, traumatic brain injury (TBI), right ankle scar, osteoarthritis of the right ankle, right knee traumatic arthritis, left knee traumatic arthritis
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- January 20, 2022
- Citation
- 22003004
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 22003004.
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 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.
- 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.
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