Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to insufficient evidence in the previous VA examination.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for low back injury, left ankle injury, tinnitus, and major depressive disorder. However, these claims are still pending as they have been remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's bilateral tinnitus is granted as secondary to her service-connected TMJ. However, the upper respiratory condition (COPD) is denied due to lack of a link to formaldehyde exposure during service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral tinnitus, finding that it is attributable to noise exposure during his active duty service.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased disability rating for non-hodgkin’s lymphoma was withdrawn. The Board granted a TDIU based on the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, as he is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his multiple conditions.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development, including service connection claims for various disabilities and a claim for TDIU. The main issue is the need to obtain medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's current conditions and in-service exposure.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's migraine headaches and his service-connected disabilities, including hypertension, adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, lumbosacral spondylosis, and tinnitus.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of VA examination for liver condition and insufficient evidence regarding its etiology. The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and residuals of a liver injury are pending.

The Veteran's back condition did not manifest ankylosis or incapacitating episodes during the period on appeal. The Board denied a higher disability rating for DJD of the lumbar spine.,The Veteran withdrew his claim for increased tinnitus prior to the promulgation of a decision by the Board.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's sleep apnea is proximately due to or aggravated by his service-connected PTSD/depressive disorder, asthma, tinnitus, and chronic pain related to his service connected injuries.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's preexisting conditions worsened during his military service. The decision also acknowledges a head injury in service which may have contributed to the Veteran's tinnitus.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is denied as his service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence of a current disability and noting that the Veteran did not report experiencing ringing in his ears during VA examinations. The preponderance of the evidence does not support a finding that tinnitus was incurred or aggravated by service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for various disabilities, including hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as other conditions such as low back disability, hip, ankle, knee, foot disabilities, cardiovascular disease, dyslipidemia, hypothyroidism, diabetes mellitus, diabetic neuropathy, and an acquired psychiatric condition. The remand requires obtaining VA treatment records, conducting examinations to determine the etiology of these conditions, and providing opinions on their relationship to service.

Effective from June 28, 2016, the Veteran's service-connected tinnitus and residuals of non-displaced fracture, left fifth finger mid-phalanx have been granted. Service connection for PTSD has also been established on this date.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to a lack of recent VA examination, as well as the need to obtain Social Security Administration records.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been denied as there is no evidence of a nexus between the current disabilities and in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for his bilateral hearing loss and TDIU claims have been denied. The Board found that the Veteran does not meet the schedular requirements for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, as he has no single disability rated at 60% or more, nor combined ratings of 70%. He is also unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for coronary artery disease is denied as his symptoms do not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for coronary artery disease is denied as it was received within one year of separation from service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral tinnitus but has remanded the issue of service connection for right knee tendonitis due to insufficient evidence.