The Board denied service connection for left ear tinnitus as the evidence did not support a finding that it began during active service or was related to an in-service injury.
The deciding factor: The VA examiners' opinions were more probative than the Veteran's statements and those of the physician's assistant due to their specialization and the lack of a direct correlation between late-onset tinnitus and service.
- Claimed conditions
- left ear tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 6, 2025
- Citation
- A25020706
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 2,456 · Granted: 23% (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 A25020706.
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Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Partly granted
The appeal for service connection for right ear and left ear hearing loss was denied.,The appeal for service connection for right ear and left ear hearing loss was denied.,Service connection for right ear tinnitus is granted, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.,Service connection for left ear tinnitus is granted, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.,Service connection for right foot disability is granted, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.,Service connection for left foot disability is granted, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.,Service connection for right ankle disability is granted, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.,Service connection for back disability is granted, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.,Service connection for right knee disability secondary to service-connected right foot disability is granted, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.,Service connection for left knee disability secondary to service-connected left foot disability is granted, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder secondary to service-connected right and left knee disabilities is granted, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for left ear hearing loss and left ear tinnitus but denied it for right ear hearing loss.
- Partly granted
The Board denied service connection for back disability, left foot plantar fasciitis, respiratory condition, skin condition, left leg shin splints, right leg shin splints, left knee disability, left leg arthritis, right knee disability, and right leg arthritis. However, the Veteran's claim for migraine headaches was granted.
- Partly granted
The Board granted service connection for left ear tinnitus and left ear hearing loss due to military noise exposure, but remanded the issue of a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for right knee arthritis prior to September 25, 2017.
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