The Board granted an effective date of May 10, 1989, for the grant of service connection for tinnitus and dismissed the claim for an earlier effective date for bilateral hearing loss. Other claims were denied.
The deciding factor: The decision was based on the evidence showing that tinnitus symptoms were present during service and a current diagnosis, while there is no unadjudicated formal or informal claims for the other conditions prior to the July 25, 2023, claim.
- Claimed conditions
- tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, residual scar status post removal of basal cell carcinoma from the scalp, coronary artery disease (CAD), prostate cancer, erectile dysfunction associated with prostate cancer, right knee disability, left knee disability
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 10%
- Decision date
- April 4, 2025
- Citation
- A25031457
What this means for you
A partial grant means some issues were granted while others were denied or remanded — common in multi-issue claims. Look at which issues went which way, and how each was argued.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including prostate cancer and related disabilities, urinary incontinence, sleep apnea, hypertension, varicose veins, lumbar spine disability, hip arthritis, shoulder arthritis, ankle arthritis, knee strain, knee replacement, and hand arthritis. The only condition granted was a 10 percent rating for a fracture of the right proximal first metacarpal.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board remands the claim for service connection for tinnitus to correct a duty to assist error, as the Veteran's lay statements regarding onset and continuity of symptoms were not adequately considered in the previous decision.
- Dismissed
The Veteran withdrew the appeals for service connection for bilateral pes planus, obstructive sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for tinnitus, cubital tunnel syndrome, right plantar fasciitis, and a right knee disability due to the lack of evidence supporting a nexus between these conditions and the Veteran's military service.
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