Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected conditions, including rating reductions and earlier effective dates. The specific claims include right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, chronic thoracolumbar spine strain, cervical spine strain with degenerative arthritis and intervertebral disc syndrome, major depressive disorder, right ankle posttraumatic degenerative changes, left hand scar, right hip degenerative joint disease, ear nerve damage, left wrist flexor tendinitis, right wrist flexor tendinitis, tinnitus, left knee condition, bilateral hearing loss, sleep disorder, arthritis of the wrists and hands associated with service-connected carpel tunnel syndrome, type II diabetes mellitus. The Board has not reached a decision on these claims at this time.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the issue of service connection for a left knee condition due to insufficient evidence.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the preponderance of evidence did not support a link to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus has been denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not have a hearing loss disability as defined by VA regulation, but granted service connection for tinnitus.,Service connection was also remanded for claims of lumbar disorder (chronic lower back strain) and residuals of a left hamstring tear.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for service-connected left ear hearing loss was denied.,The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than May 5, 2014, for the grant of a total rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) was also denied.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus. The prostate cancer and metastasis of prostate carcinoma into cervical spine region, low back injury, cold injury sequelae, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, and malignant melanoma claims are remanded due to lack of evidence regarding herbicide exposure, service connection for a low back injury, etiology of cold injury residuals, peripheral neuropathies, and malignant melanoma.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability, tinnitus, and sensory polyneuropathy, bilateral lower extremities, are all granted. The Board found that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether these conditions are related to active service, with particular emphasis on noise exposure and herbicide exposure.

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

The Veteran's claims for effective dates earlier than August 16, 2016, for the grants of service connection for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, degenerative arthritis of the thoracolumbar spine, and radiculopathy of the lower left extremity were denied.,The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD was denied.,The Veteran's claims for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied.,The Veteran's claim for a 20 percent rating for radiculopathy of the lower left extremity was granted, subject to further review.,The Veteran's claim for TDIU was granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, TMJ, colon syndrome, and Peyronie's Disease are not supported by the evidence of record. The claims are being remanded to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for left knee injury, right knee injury, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has granted the reopening of the claim for service connection for tinnitus and has determined that it is related to noise exposure during active duty, granting service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased rating for various conditions, including back condition, sinus condition, hearing loss, tinnitus, coronary artery disease, Parkinson's disease with right upper extremity weakness, and PTSD. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to service.

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 appeals for increased ratings on multiple service-connected conditions have been remanded, with some issues requiring further review and consideration.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, psychiatric disability (to include depression), and sleep apnea or sleep disorder due to lack of evidence showing a link between these conditions and her active service.,The case is remanded as there are no clear indications that any current disabilities were incurred in or aggravated by service.

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

The Board has remanded the claim of service connection for tinnitus due to exposure to weapons noise during active duty service. Additional development is needed, including a VA addendum opinion regarding whether the Veteran's tinnitus is related to his time in service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the current disabilities are related to service despite normal hearing at separation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are at least as likely as not related to hazardous noise exposure during his military service. As a result, these conditions have been granted service connection.