Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded four issues related to hearing loss, tinnitus, right shoulder pain, and lumbosacral strain due to the need for additional evidence and medical opinions.

The Veteran's appeals for initial compensable evaluations for right and left hand carpal tunnel syndrome, as well as her appeal for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability to include simple phobia (now consolidated under major depressive disorder with PTSD and insomnia), have been dismissed. The Veteran has also been granted a TDIU.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than August 11, 2017 for special monthly compensation (SMC) at the R-2 rate due to insufficient evidence showing a need for higher level care on a daily basis.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to his in-service noise exposure, and service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran's tinnitus and acquired psychiatric disorder are being remanded due to insufficient medical opinions.,His bilateral hearing loss is also being remanded as the VA examination did not provide a definitive opinion.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's continued medical emergency from August 8, 2016 to August 26, 2016 was of such a nature that he could not have been safely discharged or transferred to a VA or other Federal facility. Therefore, payment or reimbursement for his inpatient rehabilitation treatment at St. Alphonsus is granted.

The Board has denied service connection for a low back disability, left knee disability, right shoulder disability, joint arthritis, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The claims are being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.,Service connection is not granted for a low back disability as there is no evidence of such during active service or related to an in-service injury.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted. The case of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be related to service exposure. The pulmonary disability is remanded for further examination.

The Board has remanded the cases due to inadequate examination and failure to address in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to the need for a combined-effects opinion regarding his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to insufficient etiology opinions provided by the VA examiner. The Veteran's service records include audiograms, but the examiner did not consider the Veteran's lay statements about noise exposure during service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted service connection as they are related to his military noise exposure.,Service connection for hemorrhoids has also been granted, with the condition beginning during active duty.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to his in-service noise exposure and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's previously denied claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding new and material evidence. The criteria for service connection have been met with reasonable doubt resolved in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the cases due to issues related to earlier effective dates and evaluations for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as a TDIU claim. The CUE claims are referred to the AOJ.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current disability began during his active military service and considering his credible reports of noise exposure.

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

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left ear hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, and has remanded the claim to reopen for PTSD.