The Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and a higher rating for his service-connected social anxiety have been denied. The Board found that there was no evidence of chronic tinnitus in service or within the presumptive period, and the VA examiner opined that the Veteran's tinnitus is not related to military noise exposure. For the social anxiety claim, the Board noted that while occupational and social impairment exists, it does not meet the criteria for a 70% rating as required by Diagnostic Code 9400.
The deciding factor: The VA examiner determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is not related to military service based on his lack of complaints or treatment in service records. For the social anxiety claim, the Board found that while there was occupational and social impairment, it did not meet the criteria for a higher rating as per Diagnostic Code 9400.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, social anxiety
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 50%
- Decision date
- November 12, 2024
- Citation
- A24073434
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,035 · Granted: 30% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
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 A24073434.
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.
- 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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