Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2019

The Veteran's claim for an extraschedular TDIU from June 30, 2009 to December 29, 2014 was denied as the preponderance of the evidence did not show that he was unable to secure or follow any form of substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's exposure to noise during combat in Vietnam is sufficient to establish a nexus with his current conditions.

The Board has dismissed all claims of service connection for various conditions as the appellant died during the appeal process.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, finding that there is at least equipoise evidence to support these claims. The Board concluded that the Veteran's current conditions are related to her in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's claims for a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss and an increased evaluation for tinnitus have been denied.,The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to July 15, 2013, for PTSD has been denied.,The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to July 15, 2013, for TDIU has been denied.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a nerve/gait condition secondary to PTSD and/or exposure at Camp Lejeune is remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, sleep apnea, and residuals of a broken nose were denied due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his active duty service.,Service connection was granted for the Veteran's residuals of a broken nose based on credible lay statements and medical opinion.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for a lung disease, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus due to asbestos exposure during service. The claims will be further developed to determine the extent of his exposure to asbestos in service and post-service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depressive disorder, has been reopened. Service connection is granted for tinnitus but the main claims of service connection for PTSD and anxiety disorders are denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied as the evidence did not establish a causal relationship between his military noise exposure and these conditions.

Service connection is granted for a neck condition. The Veteran's current disability is related to an in-service injury where he was struck by a car door frame.,Service connection is denied for heat intolerance. There is no evidence of a current diagnosis or functional impairment from symptoms of heat intolerance.

The Veteran's bilateral sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is currently rated as noncompensable, and the claim for a compensable rating is denied.,The Veteran's tinnitus has been assigned a maximum schedular rating of 10 percent, which is the highest possible under Diagnostic Code 6260. The Board finds no basis to grant an extraschedular rating.

The Veteran's tinnitus and headaches were not shown to be related to service.,The Veteran's hypertension, erectile dysfunction, back condition, sleep disorder, neuropathy of the right lower extremity, and neuropathy of the left lower extremity have not been established as being related to service.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to potential conflicts in medical opinions regarding noise exposure during service.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a dental condition for VA outpatient treatment have been granted. The remaining issues of left knee disability, gastrointestinal disability, lumbar spine transverse process fracture with residual chronic pain, and right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome and Baker's cyst are being remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection of bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and residuals of a chemical burn to the right hand have been dismissed. Service connection has been granted for left pectoralis major muscle injury, right pectoralis major muscle injury, left shoulder osteoarthritis and tendinitis (secondary), and right shoulder SLAP tear (secondary).

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities should be remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding their onset during service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD has been granted, with a rating of 70 percent effective from September 10, 2018.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including symptomatic scar, tinnitus, and hearing loss, have rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a TDIU based on the combined effect of these conditions.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and coronary artery disease (Ischemic Heart Disease) are granted as service-connected due to in-service noise exposure and presumed exposure to herbicide agents. The Veteran is placed on continuous medication for his ischemic heart disease.

The Veteran's tinnitus was found to have begun in service and has continued since then, meeting the criteria for service connection.