Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2018

The Board has reopened the claims for tinnitus, gastrointestinal disorder (acid reflux), and migraine headaches. The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The cases are remanded for additional examinations to determine if his gastrointestinal disorder and migraine headaches are related to service.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including lumbar spine disorder, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, type II diabetes mellitus, heart disorder, lung disorder, cysts of the throat and right parotid gland, skin cancer of the forehead, loss of vision, bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, erectile dysfunction, bilateral foot swelling, and bilateral hand disorder. The claims were denied as new and material evidence had not been received to reopen these claims.

Your claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need to obtain additional medical records and complete a VA Form 21-4142 for names of physicians who treated you.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment, thus meeting the criteria for a TDIU.

The Veteran's tinnitus was related to service, but he did not have residuals of traumatic brain injury during the pendency of his claim.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities are granted as service-connected.,Service connection is also granted for left hand surface lump, carpal tunnel syndrome in both hands, and primary vitiligo. However, the issues of service connection for carpal tunnel syndrome right hand and left hand, and degenerative arthritis left knee remain pending.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to December 15, 2011 for his service connection awards of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The issues were referred back to the Agency of Original Jurisdiction (AOJ) due to the Veteran raising a claim for increased disability rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's death prevented the appellant from timely filing a request to substitute as claimant for claims pending at the time of his death, resulting in denial.

The Veteran's tinnitus is presumed to have been incurred in service due to noise exposure during his military policeman duties.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between current disabilities and in-service noise exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is caused by his military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected due to exposure to loud noise during active duty and the condition has continued since separation.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment, as he is able to perform sedentary work and has a history of working in various occupations.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and assigned a 10% rating, finding that the Veteran's tinnitus is now of such frequency to be considered 'recurrent' following his most recent period of active duty. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no current disability.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for cervical spine disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus due to insufficient evidence in the record. The VA is required to provide a medical examination and opinion that addresses all raised theories of entitlement, including secondary service connection.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service connected due to in-service acoustic trauma.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for hearing loss, tinnitus, increased rating for anxiety, and earlier effective dates due to incomplete VA treatment records. The Veteran's case will be returned for further development.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for tinnitus and TBI due to a lack of medical opinion regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's tinnitus is currently rated at 10 percent, the maximum under VA rating criteria. The appeal for a higher rating is denied.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable disability rating for allergic rhinitis was dismissed.,Claims for service connection for plantar fascitis of the right and left lower extremities, arthritis, severe joint pain, and tinnitus were all dismissed.