The appeal for service connection of somatic symptom disorder is dismissed as the Veteran's claim was encompassed by his newly granted depressive disorder.,Service connection for bilateral tinnitus has been granted based on credible lay testimony indicating that the condition began during active duty and persists to this day.
The deciding factor: The Board found no clear and unmistakable error in the AOJ's decision, which conceded the Veteran's diagnosis of tinnitus and his exposure to hazardous noise during service. The Veteran's credible testimony supported by lay evidence was given significant weight over the negative opinion from a VA audiologist.
- Claimed conditions
- Somatic Symptom Disorder, Unspecified Depressive Disorder
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- April 8, 2026
- Citation
- A26032425
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 A26032425.
What this means for you
A dismissal means the Board did not decide the issue on its merits — usually because it was withdrawn or had become moot. It says more about procedure than about whether a claim like this can win.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's PTSD, OCD, GAD, and unspecified depressive disorder are rated at 70 percent disabling. The appeal for increased ratings is denied.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depressive disorder, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not attributable to his active duty service.
- Granted
The Veteran's service-connected mental disorders are granted a disability rating of 70 percent, but no higher.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, unspecified depressive disorder, alcohol use disorder, and cocaine use disorder due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
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