Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2018

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease and PTSD, render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board finds the evidence at least evenly balanced in favor of the Veteran's claim for TDIU.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral pes planus, an eye condition, hearing loss, tinnitus, and headaches are denied. The claim for tinnitus is granted.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's right knee disability is remanded due to inadequate examination.

The Veteran's notice of disagreement with the May 2013 rating decision was timely filed, and his claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a balance disorder are remanded for issuance of an SOC.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus due to incomplete medical records, including those from his National Guard service. A new VA examination is required to determine if any current hearing loss or tinnitus are related to service.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for tinnitus is granted. The claim of initial rating for PTSD is remanded due to the need for a new examination.

The Board has denied service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and migraine headaches. Service connection for erectile dysfunction is remanded due to the need for a VA examination.

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 related to his in-service noise exposure. The decision is based on credible lay evidence of symptoms and medical opinions supporting a link between service and these disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions did not manifest within one year of discharge from service and there was no evidence linking his conditions to in-service noise exposure.

Service connection is granted for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The case of service connection for depression/anxiety is remanded due to the need for updated VA treatment records and an examination.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his active duty service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral recurrent tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's tinnitus had its onset during active duty. However, it denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to lack of evidence showing a nexus between current hearing loss and in-service noise exposure.

Service connection is granted for tinnitus. Service connection is denied for chronic fatigue syndrome, headache disorder, bowel disorder, bilateral ankle disorder, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and bilateral knee degenerative joint disease (DJD) and bilateral shoulder bursitis.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus are etiologically related to acoustic trauma sustained in active service, and thus grants service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The issue of aggravation of sleep apnea by GERD is remanded for further review.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is at least as likely as not related to his active service, granting service connection for bilateral tinnitus.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, peripheral neuropathy of the left lower extremity, and PVD with femorotibial bypass of the left lower extremity due to inadequate medical opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran must be provided new VA examinations.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including dysthymic disorder, temporomandibular joint disorder, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a bilateral foot condition, are found to be severe enough to prevent the Veteran from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has determined that additional medical examinations and opinions are needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including a spine condition, bilateral knee condition, acquired psychological disorder (including bipolar disorder), bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for hearing loss, tinnitus, and lumbar spine disorder due to inadequate examinations and lack of compliance with previous remand directives.