Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2016

The Veteran's symptoms are not considered related to his active service, and he does not meet the criteria for compensation under 38 C.F.R. § 3.317.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus was withdrawn. The claims for service connection for bilateral knee and elbow disabilities, as well as migraine headaches, secondary to service-connected conditions, have been denied due to lack of credible evidence linking these conditions to service or service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran is precluded from securing or following substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities, and the Board finds that a TDIU is warranted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection of bilateral tinnitus, left ear hearing loss, and hernia disability. The appeals were based on informal claims filed in July 2010 for these conditions.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have current bilateral hearing loss for VA compensation purposes and his tinnitus is not related to service. Therefore, the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are denied.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including coronary artery disease, PTSD, diabetes mellitus, type II, peripheral neuropathy, and tinnitus, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted the TDIU for the entire rating period on appeal.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to service, and he is granted service connection for this condition. The issue of bilateral hearing loss remains pending as the VA opinion was inadequate.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to have had its onset in service and the Board finds that it is related to his military service, granting service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding no new and material evidence to reopen the claim for hearing loss and denying both conditions as not caused by service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the etiology of the Veteran's claimed disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss and knee disability. The claims for service connection are being remanded.

The case is being remanded for compliance with prior remand directives, including providing a correct date of the last prior final denial and obtaining a supplemental medical opinion on whether the Veteran's tinnitus or hearing loss were proximately caused by an event not reasonably foreseeable as a result of VA treatment in October 2006.

The Board found no credible evidence linking the Veteran's current dizziness to service or a service-connected condition. Service connection for allergic rhinitis with sinusitis was granted, but not at a compensable rating as there were no incapacitating episodes of sinusitis or 3-6 non-incapacitating episodes per year.

The Board found that there is no competent evidence linking the Veteran's hypertension to his service or to his service-connected coronary artery disease. Therefore, the claim for service connection for hypertension was denied.

The Veteran's claim for left ear hearing loss and tinnitus is granted, while the claim for right ear hearing loss is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome were denied. Her claim for a higher rating for sinusitis with headaches was also denied.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petition to reopen his claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and has determined that he is entitled to service connection for this condition. The decision on whether the Veteran is entitled to service connection for sleep apnea remains pending as it is not clear if the appeal was about service connection at all.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted entitlement to TDIU.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, meeting the criteria for TDIU.

The Veteran's sleep apnea has not been shown to be related to his service-connected disabilities, and the Board finds that he is not entitled to service connection for this condition. The TDIU claim will be remanded as it is inextricably intertwined with the issue of service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining his Tricare treatment records from Moody Air Force Base.