Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2018

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for an initial increased rating for peripheral vestibular disorder, entitlement to an earlier effective date for service connection of tinnitus and peripheral vestibular disorder, and TDIU. The claims are being remanded due to incomplete records and need for additional examinations.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected, but his bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Board denied reopening the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, finding that there is no current diagnosis of tinnitus and that the Veteran did not experience the symptoms of tinnitus during service or at any time since.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for various musculoskeletal disabilities, including degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine, low back disability, bilateral ankle disability, right foot disability, and left foot disability. The AOJ will obtain updated medical records and schedule the Veteran for a VA examination to determine the severity and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted. The Board finds that the evidence is at least in relative equipoise as to whether the Veteran’s tinnitus had its onset during active service and will resolve the benefit of the doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether these disorders are related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and prostate cancer, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since June 13, 2014.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's conditions.

The Veteran's service connection claims for hearing loss, tinnitus, and low back disability have been denied. The Board has found that the evidence does not support a finding of in-service injury or disease related to these conditions.,For hearing loss, there is no showing of a current disability within the applicable presumptive period.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder has been granted an initial rating of 50 percent, effective April 30, 2011. The appeal is based on new evidence that was not previously considered.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are at least as likely as not related to his military service.,Service connection was denied for vertigo, acquired psychiatric disorder (secondary to tinnitus), and erectile dysfunction (secondary to acquired psychiatric disorder). The issues of service connection for these conditions are remanded.

The Board has found that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to his in-service noise exposure, but service connection for bilateral hearing loss remains unclear due to inconsistent test results. The claim for bilateral hearing loss is remanded for further examination and medical opinion.

The Board has granted service connection for a back disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The Veteran's conditions are found to be related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the cases of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities for further examination to determine their existence, nature, and etiology. The examiner is asked to provide an opinion on whether these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings on several service-connected conditions have been dismissed due to her withdrawal of the appeals.,An issue regarding service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, has been remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the cases due to insufficient opinions regarding the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities, which are related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation since April 17, 2018. A TDIU rating is granted from that date.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to have started during his military service and has continued since then, meeting the criteria for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, abdominal scar, hearing loss, and tinnitus, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability (TDIU).