Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2018

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are causing him to need assistance with activities of daily living, and he requests a VA examination to determine if he qualifies for special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance or at the housebound rate. The Board has determined that further evaluation is needed due to the passage of over three years since his last VA examination.

The Veteran's tinnitus is denied as it did not manifest in service or until many years following service separation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current diagnoses of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his in-service noise exposure, granting service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's whole-body pain is attributed to skeletal arthritis, which has no direct connection to service.,Bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not shown as current disabilities for VA purposes.,Tinnitus began more than a year after separation from active duty service and is unrelated to any aspect of service.,The Veteran's diagnosed sleep apnea is not related to service, with no evidence suggesting an in-service onset or connection.,There is no objective evidence showing hair loss.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is service-connected as it had its onset during his active duty and continues to persist.

The Veteran's bilateral recurrent tinnitus is granted service connection. The appeals for CAD, hypertensive vascular disease, and diabetes are dismissed due to withdrawal of the appeal by the Veteran. Service connection for bilateral pes planus is granted with a rating of 30 percent prior to July 1, 2015.

The Veteran's tinnitus is rated at the maximum schedular rating of 10 percent. His bilateral hearing loss disability does not meet the criteria for a compensable rating. The anxiety disorder is currently rated as 70 percent disabling, but the Board finds that it does not warrant an increased rating due to its current level of impairment.

The Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for tinnitus has been reopened, and secondary service connection for tinnitus is granted as it is proximately due to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for erectile dysfunction is denied as the condition is not proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD. The Board finds that the Veteran's tinnitus is less likely than not related to his in-service noise exposure and does not find it was caused by any of his service-connected disabilities, including medication prescribed for those conditions.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The VA is instructed to obtain a medical advisory opinion from an audiologist or otologist.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and remanded the issue of assigning a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The appeal has been dismissed as the appellant withdrew their appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been submitted to reopen the claims for service connection for left ear hearing loss and tinnitus. However, it has not found new and relevant evidence to support the claim of right ear hearing loss.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss and tinnitus, psoriasis, and benign prostate hypertrophy were reopened. Service connection was granted for left ear hearing loss and tinnitus, but denied for right ear hearing loss and psoriasis. Benign prostate hypertrophy was not connected to service due to lack of evidence.

The Veteran's appeals for neck pain, allergic rhinitis, lung condition, and bradycardia were withdrawn at the July 2018 Board hearing.,Service connection was denied for degenerative joint disease (knees and hands), left ear hearing loss, and tinnitus.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's tinnitus is not related to his military service.,The Board also denied service connection for sleep apnea with hypersomnolence as secondary to a service-connected deviated septum. The Board concluded there was no current diagnosis of sleep apnea or other sleep-related disability in the record.,Regarding bilateral ingrown toenails, the Board found that while the Veteran reported pain and instability, his condition did not meet criteria for a compensable evaluation under VA rating criteria.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are service-connected as they are related to his active military service, despite a lack of documentation in service records.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus secondary to service-connected mycosis fungoides due to insufficient examination regarding etiology.

Service connection is granted for prostate cancer, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma due to exposure to herbicide agents in service.,Service connection is denied for tinnitus as it is not shown to be related to service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the left knee disability. The claim for service connection of all conditions is pending and will be addressed after a VA examination.