The Veteran's appeal for an effective date prior to June 29, 2009, for the grant of TDIU and DEA benefits was denied. The Board found that entitlement to TDIU did not arise until June 29, 2009, when the Veteran became service-connected for PTSD.,The Veteran's eligibility for DEA under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 35 was also denied as he did not have a permanent total service-connected disability prior to June 29, 2009.
The deciding factor: The effective date for TDIU and DEA benefits could not be earlier than June 29, 2009, because the Veteran's PTSD was only service-connected from that date.
- Claimed conditions
- bilateral knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- March 31, 2026
- Citation
- A26028764
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 A26028764.
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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