Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2017

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus effective from October 7, 2011. The May 18, 2012 rating decision was found to contain legal error in the assignment of probative value to evidence so as to not constitute a reasonable exercise of rating judgment.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for a 50 percent rating for pes planus and service connection for tinnitus, finding that these were freestanding claims not authorized by law.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to undeliverable mail, and the AOJ must ascertain the correct address and send a copy of the August 2016 Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC) with any other pertinent communications.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU is being remanded due to incomplete development and the need for a VA examination.

The Board has determined that the appellant's tinnitus did not originate during his service and is not related to any period of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) or inactive duty for training (INACDUTRA). As a result, the claim for service connection for tinnitus is denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to obtain a new VA examination and opinion regarding his claims of bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and left knee disability. The examiner must consider the Veteran's lay statements about the onset and continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing and following all forms of substantially gainful employment prior to December 27, 2013.

The Veteran's tinnitus is rated at 10% and his bilateral hearing loss was granted a 30% rating effective November 13, 2013. The appeal for an earlier effective date remains pending.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for vertigo or dizziness and a skin disability. The decision also noted that his hearing loss and tinnitus were less likely than not incurred in service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that no new and material evidence was submitted to reopen the previously denied claims.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including left and right knee arthroplasties, tinnitus, fracture of the fourth metacarpal in the right hand, scarring of the bilateral tympanic membranes, status post bilateral tympanoplasty, left knee scar from arthroplasty, and right knee scar from arthroplasty, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board has determined that his TDIU claim is granted.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to failure to obtain VA audiograms from January 2008 and December 2009, as well as other pertinent VA medical records. The case is also being remanded for further development of the tinnitus claim, psychiatric disorder claim, and hearing loss claim.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is etiologically related to his in-service noise exposure, and therefore grants service connection for bilateral tinnitus.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment, meeting the criteria for a total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to in-service noise exposure and grants service connection for this condition. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and anxiety, will be remanded as it requires further development.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hip arthritis, but denied the Veteran's claims for an increased rating for depression and service connection for a right leg disability. The case is remanded to obtain additional medical records and provide further examination.

The Veteran's tinnitus was found to have manifested during active duty service, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition. The hearing loss claim is remanded due to a lack of medical evidence and need for further examination.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and effective dates have been withdrawn.,An effective date of June 3, 1972, but no earlier, has been granted for the grant of service connection for migraine headaches, a dizziness / balance disorder, and tinnitus.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal, and the Board has dismissed it.

The Board found that the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus did not warrant direct service connection because they were not related to service.,For TMJ, the Board found that it is at least as likely as not (50 percent or greater probability) that the Veteran's headaches are caused by his TMJ.