The Board granted service connection for asthma with an effective date of August 15, 2013. Service connection was also granted for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, but the specific effective dates are not provided as they were not addressed in this decision. The Veteran's unspecified depressive disorder is characterized by occupational and social impairment due to symptoms such as depressed mood, anxiety, irritability, chronic sleep impairment, and difficulty establishing work relationships.
The deciding factor: The Board found that there was a current disability (tinnitus) present during the period on appeal, conceded in-service noise exposure leading to tinnitus, and credible lay statements from the Veteran linking his tinnitus to service. The VA examiner could not provide a medical opinion due to inconsistent responses from the Veteran.
- Claimed conditions
- asthma, tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, unspecified depressive disorder
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 60%
- Decision date
- March 28, 2024
- Citation
- 24013423
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 24013423.
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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