The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, recurrent ear infections, and migraine headaches is granted. The earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for migraine headaches is set at April 26, 2017. The Veteran's increased disability rating claim for migraine headaches is remanded.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the evidence was in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's current tinnitus and migraine headaches disabilities began during and were related to service exposure, leading to a grant of service connection under direct theory. For recurrent ear infections, there was no current diagnosis or functional impairment supporting the claim.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, recurrent ear infections, migraine headaches
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- September 26, 2023
- Citation
- 23053419
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 23053419.
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.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, migraine headaches, and PTSD due to additional development of records and examination.
- Granted
The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The issues of foot disability and cardiovascular disorder are remanded for additional development.
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