Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2018

The Board has decided to remand the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to conflicting evidence regarding the Veteran's current hearing loss disability. The case is being sent back for another audiological examination.

An effective date prior to December 3, 2012 for PTSD is dismissed.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, and granted service connection for tinnitus. The claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no current disability meeting VA compensation criteria. An initial increased rating of 30 percent but no higher for chronic sinusitis is granted.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, lower back disability, right knee disability, and bilateral hearing loss. The cases are remanded to obtain VA examinations and additional evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for multiple level lumbar spondylosis and remanded the issue of service connection for tinnitus.

The Veteran's separation pay was withheld from his VA disability compensation due to the laws and regulations that prohibit such withholding for involuntary separation or SSA withholdings.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral tinnitus and a compensable evaluation for left ear hearing loss due to new evidence and need for further examination.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and remanded the issues of hypertension, erectile dysfunction, left ear hearing loss, right ear hearing loss, and PTSD. The Veteran's TDIU claim is also remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to additional development, including an addendum opinion from a medical professional regarding the relationship between noise exposure during service and the Veteran's current conditions.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss is being remanded due to incomplete records from his private audiologist A.F. The VA will request these records and re-adjudicate the claim.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral tinnitus. Service connection for erectile dysfunction is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding its onset and relationship to service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral tinnitus. The claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and headache disability are remanded due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Board denied reopening of claims for somnambulism, mixed personality disorder, head trauma history (including TBI), bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus due to lack of new and material evidence.

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

The Board has determined that there is a 50/50 chance (equipoise) that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his in-service noise exposure. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is granted.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not meet the requisite rating criteria for TDIU prior to June 4, 2013. The matter of entitlement to TDIU prior to June 3, 2014 is referred to the Director, Compensation Service, for extra-schedular consideration.

The Veteran was granted service connection for tinnitus, sleep apnea, irritable bowel syndrome (also claimed as irritable colon syndrome), gastritis, and Barrett's esophagus with GERD. The appeals for service connection for high cholesterol, hypertensive vascular disease, hypertension, and bruxism were dismissed.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and COPD due to inadequate examination reports. The claims will be further developed with a VA examination.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining a retrospective medical opinion regarding his unemployability due to service-connected disabilities prior to December 3, 2013.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus is denied as the condition has been assigned the maximum schedular evaluation.