Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2018

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was first received by VA on August 3, 2015. The Board denied the request for an earlier effective date.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities are due to his military service. The right knee disability is remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected.,For the left elbow disability, a rating in excess of 10 percent prior to January 30, 2014 and a rating in excess of 40 percent from that date are denied.,For occipital neuralgia, a rating in excess of 30 percent prior to June 22, 2017 is denied. A 50 percent rating for the condition starting from June 22, 2017 is granted, subject to further review.,TDIU benefits are granted effective February 21, 2017.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete STRs and the need for an addendum from a VA medical examiner regarding the nature and etiology of the Veteran's hypertension. The issues include confirmation of completeness of the Veteran's service treatment records and obtaining an opinion on whether the Veteran’s hypertension was aggravated by his service-connected MDD, other service-connected disabilities, or their medications.

The Board found that the Veteran's tinnitus was incurred during active service and granted service connection for tinnitus.

The Veteran's PTSD and Tension Headaches were granted increased ratings, with a 70% rating for PTSD and a 50% rating for Tension Headaches. The effective date for the tension headaches rating was denied as there is no factual basis to award an earlier effective date. The Veteran also received a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, but granted service connection for tinnitus. The Veteran's current tinnitus is found to be related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of her hearing loss, tinnitus, and acquired psychiatric disability. The claims will be returned for further development.

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

The Veteran's claims for initial compensable disability ratings for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been denied as the evidence does not support a higher rating based on his service-connected conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's preexisting conditions were aggravated by in-service noise exposure. The decision also acknowledges the Veteran's credible statements regarding in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's OSA disability is currently rated at 50 percent, the maximum schedular rating. The appeal for higher ratings on other conditions remains denied.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to incomplete records and need for further examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, and tinnitus as new and material evidence was not submitted.

Service connection granted for tinnitus and left knee patellofemoral syndrome, with a 10% rating assigned. PTSD is rated at the maximum schedular rating of 70%, but TDIU is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection as it manifested within one year of qualifying service. The Board found the evidence in favor of the Veteran, including a VA outpatient treatment note indicating intermittent tinnitus and the Veteran's MOS involving noise exposure.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, left and right lower extremity diabetic peripheral neuropathy, and melanoma are all granted as service connected. The decision also remands the issue of service connection for melanoma due to herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for tinnitus is dismissed as the January 2014 rating decision became final.,The Veteran's claim of service connection for headache disability was reopened due to new evidence indicating a possible link between his current headaches and service-connected tinnitus.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or a relationship to service.