The Board denied an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for hearing loss and granted an effective date of August 5, 2021, for the award of service connection for chronic sinusitis. The claims for increased ratings and additional service connection were also denied or remanded.
The deciding factor: The Board found that the Veteran's February 2022 claim for tinnitus should not have been construed as a claim for hearing loss, and there was no indication that he submitted a claim for benefits for hearing loss earlier than May 17, 2024. For sinusitis, the claim was filed within one year of the liberalizing law under the PACT Act.
- Claimed conditions
- hearing loss, chronic sinusitis, psychiatric disorder other than other specified stressor or trauma related disorder (previously rated as panic disorder with depressive disorder and cannabis use disorder), neck condition, left knee, right knee, left ankle, right ankle, left shoulder, right shoulder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- October 28, 2025
- Citation
- A25093138
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