Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2018

The Board has decided that the Veteran's tinnitus claim should be remanded due to an inadequate opinion from a VA audiologist. The examiner needs to review the claims file and provide a new opinion on whether the tinnitus is at least as likely as not caused by service, including noise exposure.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder resulted in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity, but did not meet the criteria for a rating more than 50 percent. The Veteran was also denied TDIU due to her service-connected disabilities alone not rendering her unemployable.

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

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for various disabilities, including cervical spine, lumbar spine, hip, knee, ankle, shoulder and arm, elbow, wrist, and psychiatric conditions. The issues have been recharacterized to reflect the benefit sought by the Veteran on appeal.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's hypertension and hypothyroidism were not shown to be related to service, and the effective dates for tinnitus and degenerative disc disease, L4-L5, L5-S1, are denied.,Service connection for tinnitus and degenerative disc disease, L4-L5, L5-S1, is granted with an effective date of September 15, 2014. However, the Veteran's claims for higher ratings and earlier effective dates remain pending.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's claims of service connection for breathing disability due to asbestos exposure, eye condition (claimed as bad eyes), dental condition (claimed as bad teeth), bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The issues were withdrawn by the Veteran during a June 2018 videoconference hearing.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The Board remands the issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and bladder cancer due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be related to his military service, specifically the acoustic trauma he experienced during active duty. The Board granted service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's high cholesterol is denied as it represents only a laboratory finding and not an actual disability.,Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, shin splints, and eye disorder are all denied due to lack of current evidence of these conditions during the appeal period.,Tinnitus was remanded as there is no direct service connection based on in-service noise exposure. Additional development needed.,Bilateral foot disorder and cervical spine disorder were both found to be normal by VA examiners, with no findings or diagnoses provided.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions have been dismissed as the Veteran did not file a substantive appeal within the required time frame.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection as it is at least as likely as not incurred in service.,Additional development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of any left and right foot disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric condition, including PTSD and anxiety, as well as tinnitus. The Veteran's anxiety disorder was found to be unrelated to his military service.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as secondary to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a right wrist disability is denied as there is no current diagnosis of the condition.,The Veteran's claim for tinnitus is denied as there is no evidence linking it to his military service.

The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to exposure to harmful noise during Active Duty for Training (ACDUTRA). The VA examinations are needed to determine if these conditions were incurred or aggravated by such training.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus have rendered him in need of regular aid and attendance due to his cognitive and behavioral issues related to these conditions. The Board has granted special monthly compensation based on the need for aid and attendance.

The Board denied service connection for tinnitus, hypertension (to include as secondary to diabetes), and peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service or service-connected disabilities.,Service connection was not granted for tinnitus because there is no credible evidence that it began in service or is related to noise exposure. The Board found no current diagnosis of tinnitus, and the Veteran's statements about hearing ringing in his ears since service were deemed less than credible given the lack of documentation prior to 2011.,For hypertension, the Board noted the Veteran's long-term use of medication and good control over blood pressure, as well as the absence of any symptoms or diagnosis before 1982. The VA examiner opined that diabetes did not cause or aggravate hypertension, and there was no evidence of early-onset peripheral neuropathy due to herbicide exposure.,Regarding peripheral neuropathy, the Board found no current diagnosis in the Veteran's medical records, despite his testimony about symptoms since shortly after service. The VA examination conducted in 2012 did not reveal any signs or symptoms of peripheral neuropathy.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to outstanding VA treatment records, incomplete service personnel records, and the need for additional medical opinions regarding his right knee disability, headaches, acquired psychiatric disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the issue of service connection for a respiratory disorder due to exposure to burn pits in Southwest Asia.