The Board has granted an earlier effective date of May 14, 1997 for the award of service connection for tinnitus due to clear and unmistakable error in the January 1998 rating decision that denied it.
The deciding factor: The correct facts were not considered by the RO at the time of the January 1998 rating decision, which resulted in a denial of service connection for tinnitus. The Veteran's reports of constant bilateral tinnitus within one year of separation from active service and the presence of service treatment records documenting left ear hearing loss due to noise exposure are evidence that should have been considered.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- October 4, 2022
- Citation
- A22020218
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 A22020218.
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.
- 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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