Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2017

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied as there was no evidence of a claim prior to November 12, 2013.

The Veteran's initial claim of an increased rating for ischemic heart disease was granted, with a current evaluation of 60 percent. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus was denied.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim and granted service connection for a balance disorder, to include BPPV, as secondary to his service-connected ear conditions.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are rated as 60% combined, meeting the schedular requirements for TDIU. The Board finds that his service-connected disabilities render him unemployable due to his inability to hear properly.

The Veteran's appeal was denied across multiple issues, including PTSD, cervical spine disability, right and left knee disabilities, thoracolumbar spine disability, tinnitus (hearing loss), right hand 5th metacarpal fracture, right foot heel spur, scars of the hands and knees, dermatitis of the feet, and tension headaches. The appeal was not about service connection for any conditions.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are currently rated at 50 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a finding of unemployability due to these conditions alone.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were granted, with the effective dates being May 28, 2010 for tinnitus and September 12, 2016 for PTSD. The grant of service connection was based on presumptive exposure to herbicides (gulf war).

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, and the case is being remanded to address hypertension.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is not related to his active service, and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's appeal for service connection for neck disability, irritable bowel syndrome, and tinnitus requires additional development due to incomplete records and need for medical opinions.

The Board has found that the Veteran's tinnitus was incurred in service and granted service connection for it. The initial rating for dermatitis remains at 10 percent.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability was not incurred in or aggravated by service.,Tinnitus is attributable to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are service-connected. The claim for hypertension is granted, but a rating assignment is pending as there was no current disability found at the time of examination.

The Veteran's right wrist scarring is not compensable, but he meets the criteria for TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to service, while diabetes mellitus is presumed to have been incurred during active military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a waiver of recovery of an overpayment of service-connected compensation benefits in the calculated amount of $24,239.47 due to fault on the part of the Veteran and lack of undue hardship.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, xerosis, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss, prevent him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted entitlement to total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and opinions regarding his claimed conditions.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to his in-service noise exposure, and service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from obtaining and maintaining gainful employment.