Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2018

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, vertigo (claimed as secondary to tinnitus), and a rating in excess for 10 percent for tinnitus. The decision found that new and material evidence had not been received to reopen the claim for bilateral hearing loss, and that there was no legal basis for service connection for vertigo or tinnitus.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and erectile dysfunction due to in-service noise exposure. The Board also requested a new opinion regarding whether his respiratory failure, pulmonary congestion, congestive heart failure, pulmonary fibrosis, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, and chronic kidney condition were related to his service or other factors.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities. The conditions are presumed to be related to exposure to herbicide agents during service in Vietnam.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are being remanded due to the need for additional VA examinations and consideration of new evidence.

The Veteran's tinnitus is already at the maximum schedular evaluation of 10 percent. The right knee disability and psychiatric disorders are remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to have started during service and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has denied service connection for various conditions including shoulder, back, neck, hip, knee, foot, otosclerosis, tinnitus, heart, prostate, thyroid, diabetes, neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, and acquired psychiatric disorders. The reasons given are that there is no evidence of in-service injury or disease related to these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is denied as the condition did not manifest to a compensable degree within one year of separation from active duty and there is no evidence linking it to in-service noise exposure or his service-connected hypertension.,The Veteran's skin condition, including vitiligo, is remanded for an addendum opinion regarding whether it is at least as likely as not proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected lumbar ankylosing spondylitis and cervical ankylosing spondylitis.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been denied as there is no evidence of in-service noise exposure or a compensable degree of disability within the applicable presumptive period.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current diagnoses are related to his military service. The issue of service connection for a sleep disorder is remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's lay reports of continuous symptoms since service are credible and at least in equipoise with other evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD alone is found to be of such nature and severity as to prevent him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment, warranting a TDIU rating.,Due to the combined effect of his service-connected disabilities (PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus), he meets the statutory housebound criteria for SMC benefits.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been dismissed due to his death.

The Board has dismissed all issues of service connection and evaluations due to the Veteran's request for withdrawal prior to a decision.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's tinnitus began in service and is related to his active military service.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for bilateral ankle disability, bilateral hearing loss, and hypertension. The Veteran's claim of service connection for tinnitus is granted, while his claim for diabetes mellitus, type II, is also granted. The issue of aggravation of bilateral pes planus is remanded.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that these conditions are at least as likely as not related to his military service and exposures to noise therein.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to October 21, 2016, for service connection of hearing loss and tinnitus due to lack of a claim before that date.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are granted service connection. Service connection for PTSD is denied due to lack of current diagnosis. Service connection for IHD as due to herbicide exposure is also denied.