Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2018

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service connection claims for back, bilateral leg, and bilateral knee disorders are remanded due to insufficient evidence. The issues have not been decided on the merits.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The claims of service connection for residual injury to the face with dental trauma and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD, depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, affective disorder, and adjustment disorder) are remanded.

The Board denied service connection for right hip disability, right hip scar, and tinnitus as the evidence did not support a link to service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the conditions are at least as likely as not related to in-service noise exposure.

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 conditions are related to active duty service.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to inadequate opinion in the January 2017 VA examination.

The Board has denied service connection for left ear hearing loss and major depressive disorder (MDD), but granted service connection for tinnitus. The claims of service connection for sleep apnea, PTSD, and anxiety disorder are remanded due to the need for further examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran should be afforded VA examinations to determine whether he has preexisting hearing loss and tinnitus that were aggravated during service, or if they are related to his MOS (sirens, road noises, and weapons noises). For carpal tunnel syndrome, the Board finds that a VA examination is needed to determine its onset in service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PAD, due to exposure at Camp Lejeune, is granted.,Service connection for tinnitus is granted as the evidence shows it began during service and persists.,Service connection for a left wrist condition is denied.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.,Service connection for tension headaches is denied.,Service connection for left side sciatic nerve damage is denied.,Service connection for right lower extremity radiculopathy is denied.

The Veteran's claims for thoracolumbar degenerative joint disease with intervertebral disc syndrome, left hip bursitis, right hip bursitis, radiculopathy of the sciatic nerve left lower extremity, and radiculopathy of the femoral nerve left lower extremity are all remanded.,The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for tinnitus is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions require him to need regular aid and attendance, thus he is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) for aid and attendance.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as he does not have a current disability.,Service connection for Vitamin D deficiency is denied because it is not considered a disability for VA compensation purposes.,Periodontal disease (gingivitis) is not considered a compensable disability, and the Veteran's claim must be denied.,The Veteran's vertigo is rated as 10 percent disabling based on occasional dizziness. A higher rating of 30 percent is not warranted due to lack of evidence of staggering.,Tinnitus in the left ear is currently assigned a 10 percent rating, which is the maximum available under Diagnostic Code 6260.,The Veteran's exercise-induced asthma does not meet the criteria for a compensable initial rating based on his PFT results and medication use.,Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is rated as noncompensable due to lack of specific diagnostic codes, with GERD being rated by analogy under Diagnostic Code 7399-7346.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss is at least as likely as not related to in-service noise exposure, and service connection for this condition is granted. The right ear hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be less likely than not related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, but denied service connection for residuals of a heart attack, artery block, and hypertension.

The Veteran's service records do not show any complaints or diagnoses of bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, or a psychiatric disability to include mood disorder during his active duty. The Board finds that the Veteran does not have current disabilities for which he can seek service connection.,There is no evidence in the record showing that the Veteran has a current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, or a psychiatric disability to include mood disorder related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for memory loss, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus due to insufficient evidence. The appellant's service treatment records do not show any complaints or diagnoses of these conditions during his active duty. However, he was exposed to noise in service which may be related to his current hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine, cervical spine, left knee, and tinnitus disabilities due to medical questions remaining. The AOJ is instructed to arrange for VA examinations in accordance with special procedures for incarcerated Veterans.

The Veteran's PTSD, tinnitus, and other service-connected conditions are currently rated based on their severity.,Service connection for hypertension is remanded due to the need for further examination.

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

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus and remanded the claims of hypertension and tinnitus.,For hypertension, a VA examination is needed to determine if it may be related to herbicide exposure.