Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2019

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been denied as there is no current disability or evidence of a disease within one year post-service.,Service connection for a back disorder and PTSD are remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration. The Veteran is found to have tinnitus that is at least as likely as not related to service, but hearing loss remains unclear.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a skin condition, tinnitus, and a liver disorder. The appeal regarding nonservice-connected pension benefits was found to be untimely filed. Service connection for a dental condition for treatment purposes is also remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left ear hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as an increased rating for his keloid scar. The decision found that severance of service connection for left ear hearing loss was proper due to clear and unmistakable error (CUE), and denied service connection for tinnitus based on lack of evidence linking it to service. The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his keloid scar was also denied.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection and rating issues related to head injuries, knee conditions, tinnitus, and hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and thyroid condition due to incomplete service records. The AOJ is instructed to verify the Veteran's periods of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) and inactive duty for training (INACDUTRA), obtain his complete service personnel records, and provide an opportunity for the Veteran to respond if further efforts are futile.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claim for service connection for chronic headaches, as secondary to his service-connected tinnitus. A new VA medical opinion is needed to address whether the Veteran’s chronic headaches were caused by or aggravated by his service-connected tinnitus.

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development and examination, including obtaining missing service treatment records and private medical records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD) due to potential inadequacies in the medical opinions provided. The issues are being returned for further clarification and evaluation.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus need to be remanded due to inadequate opinions in the August 2014 VA examination.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, but has remanded the issue of hearing loss due to inadequate examination and factual premise.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for a back condition and tinnitus due to inadequate opinions from VA examiners that did not consider the Veteran's lay statements regarding his symptoms.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as he does not have a disability level of hearing loss that qualifies under VA criteria.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is denied as the Board found no current evidence of true tinnitus, and instead concluded it was somatosounds rather than true tinnitus.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus effective February 23, 2019. The Veteran's initial claim was previously denied due to failure to report for a VA examination in 2014.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was denied because he did not have a current diagnosis of tinnitus. His claim for bilateral hearing loss was granted as his service records show he experienced acoustic trauma and has credible continuity of symptoms.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and remanded the issues of service connection for degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine and lumbar spine.

The Board has decided that the Veteran does not have a current hearing loss disability, tinnitus, or back disability due to service. The right knee issue is remanded for additional development.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased evaluation for tinnitus has been denied as there is no legal basis to award a higher rating.,The Veteran's appeals for increased evaluations of his right shoulder impingement, lumbosacral strain, and right knee patellofemoral syndrome have all been remanded due to inadequate VA examinations.,The Veteran's appeal for a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss has also been remanded as the VA examination was found invalid.

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

The Board has remanded several issues, including the reopening of a previously denied claim for major depressive disorder, as well as claims for tinnitus, hypertension, headaches, PTSD, special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance and/or housebound status, left wrist limitation of motion, and Parkinson's disease under 38 U.S.C. § 1151.