Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2018

The Veteran's claim for hearing loss is denied, but his claim for tinnitus is granted and found to have begun during active service.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims, including those for headaches, an acquired psychiatric disorder, general arthralgia, a low back disability, bilateral hearing loss, vertigo and dizziness, tinnitus, gastrointestinal disorders, kidney disorder, and erectile dysfunction. The issues are being remanded due to the need for new evidence or further review.

The Veteran's appeals for extraschedular disability ratings for service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as TDIU, have been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, right shoulder disability, low back disability, bilateral knee disability, and right ankle disability. The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection.,Service connection was not established for the claimed conditions due to lack of evidence showing a current disability or a link between the condition and service.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss and tinnitus are granted service connection, but his right ear hearing loss is denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is at least as likely as not incurred in service, and thus grants service connection for tinnitus.

The Board has granted the reopening of the Veteran's claim for service connection for Parkinson's disease, but denied all other claims due to lack of evidence supporting exposure to herbicides.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability.,Service connection is granted for tinnitus, with the Board finding that the preponderance of the evidence supports a nexus between in-service noise exposure and the current condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence to support a nexus between his current conditions and military service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, but the other issues related to left foot disability, chronic dizziness, and bilateral hearing loss are remanded.

The Veteran's right knee osteoarthritis changes status post arthroscopic repair is rated at 10 percent, and the Veteran has a separate evaluation of 10 percent for right knee instability. The Veteran’s tinnitus is currently evaluated as 10 percent disabling.,For his cervical spine conditions, the Veteran has been granted evaluations in excess of 20 percent from February 5, 2015. His lumbar spine condition remains at a 20 percent evaluation prior to February 5, 2015 and is rated as 40 percent disabling after that date.,The Veteran's progressive muscle atrophy associated with spondylosis with degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine has been remanded for further review. His sleep apnea remains at a 50 percent evaluation, and his radiculopathy conditions have also been remanded.

The Veteran's claims for aid and attendance based on his service-connected disabilities are remanded due to conflicting medical opinions regarding the impact of his PTSD, keratosis, and tinnitus on his ability to perform daily activities. The VA needs additional evidence and a new examination to clarify these issues.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus are found to be at least as likely as not related to his in-service noise exposure, leading to a grant of service connection for both conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted. The initial rating of 20 percent for lumbosacral strain prior to May 23, 2017 is granted. A separate rating of 10 percent for associated LLE radiculopathy prior to June 13, 2013 and a higher rating of 20 percent from June 13, 2013 to May 23, 2017 is denied. The Veteran's claim for PTSD is granted with a rating of 50 percent effective before May 23, 2017. The Veteran's claim for TDIU prior to June 13, 2014 is granted.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are consistent with his active service experience.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his military service. The decision is based on the Veteran's consistent reports of noise exposure during service and his continued symptoms since then.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for headaches has been reopened, but the Board is unable to determine if the new evidence establishes a current disability or relates it to service. The other issues are remanded.

The Board found that the Veteran's NOD was timely filed due to VA mailing the notification letter to an incorrect address, and thus granted her appeal for service connection on some conditions but denied it for others.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to November 1, 2011 for additional dependency benefits was denied as proof of dependents was not submitted within one year of notification.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected due to exposure to loud noise during active duty, with reasonable doubt resolved in favor of the Veteran.