The Veteran's service connection claim for depression is denied as the evidence does not support a finding that his depression is secondary to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus. The Board also denied the Veteran's TDIU claim due to his ability to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation despite his service-connected disabilities.
The deciding factor: The March 2022 VA examination opinion concluded that the Veteran's depression is not secondary to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus, and the Board gave more weight to this opinion than the Veteran's own assertions.
- Claimed conditions
- depression, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Secondary to another service-connected condition
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- September 30, 2024
- Citation
- A24061977
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 A24061977.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
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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