Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2017

The Board found that the Appellant's back disability is not related to his military service and denied the claim.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for tinnitus, PTSD, and bilateral hearing loss. The maximum schedular rating of 10 percent was assigned for each condition.

The Veteran is granted service connection for tinnitus, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to incomplete medical records and the need for a new VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU on an extra-schedular basis prior to October 25, 2011 was denied as there is no evidence that his service-connected disabilities alone rendered him unemployable.

The Veteran's asthma, acquired psychiatric disorder (PTSD, anxiety, and depression), back disability, cervical spine disability, heart disability, bilateral ankle disability, left foot disability, right foot disability, bilateral hip disability, bilateral knee disability, and bilateral shoulder disability are not service connected. The Veteran's tinnitus and hearing loss were found to be aggravated by service.

The Board has granted service connection for various conditions, including sleep apnea and TBI. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, neck disorder, tinnitus, left shoulder disorder, hypertension, low back disorder, and erectile dysfunction are all found to be related to his military service. Service connection is also granted for the extension of a temporary total evaluation due to right shoulder surgery.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment prior to April 29, 2010. From that date until the present, his PTSD alone does not meet the criteria for a TDIU.

The Board has granted service connection for dementia, but the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are remanded due to incomplete audiometric testing data.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU, and his employment difficulties are attributed to non-service connected factors.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation, thus granting his claim for TDIU.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is attributable to service and granted service connection for this condition. The bilateral hearing loss disability claim was also granted, with the reasoning being that it is related to noise exposure during service.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The Veteran's current diagnoses of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, including noise exposure therein.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his period of active service, warranting service connection for both conditions.

The Board has determined that further development is necessary before a decision can be reached on the merits of the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues related to service connection for tinnitus and a proposed severance of service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's appeal is currently on hold until these matters are resolved.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not incurred in service due to credible reports of noise exposure during active duty.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not include loss or permanent use of one or both feet, hands, vision, a severe burn injury, or ALS. Therefore, he does not meet the criteria for automobile and adaptive equipment or adaptive equipment only.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to service, as there is no evidence of a chronic condition during service or within one year thereafter. The left shoulder degenerative joint disease was found to be aggravated by his service-connected right shoulder disability.,Service connection for left shoulder degenerative joint disease has been granted on the basis that it was aggravated by his service-connected right shoulder disability.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to his service, and the claim for service connection is granted.