Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2019

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be at least as likely as not related to his active duty service, and the Board grants service connection for tinnitus.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal because his notice of disagreement (NOD) was not timely filed, and he did not provide good cause for the delay.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's tinnitus is at least as likely as not related to in-service acoustic trauma.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA examination to determine if any currently diagnosed left knee disability had its onset during active duty service or is otherwise etiologically related to service. The Veteran's tinnitus was denied as there is no evidence of this specific disability during his military service and it is not shown to be causally related to his military service.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral tinnitus, chronic pain syndrome, and inguinal hernia repair residuals were granted. The claim for an increased rating for inguinal hernia repair residuals was remanded.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied as there was no basis to award an earlier date than May 4, 2017.

The Board has denied service connection for a right shoulder condition, neck condition, and right upper extremity neuropathy. The claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are remanded as the Veteran did not undergo VA examinations to determine if his conditions are related to service.,Service connection is also denied for left and right knee conditions due to lack of a VA examination.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to have started during service and continues today, meeting the criteria for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, and tinnitus are denied. Service connection is granted for left ear hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims, including service connection for acid reflux and anemia, as well as rating for hearing loss and tinnitus. The decision on these matters is pending further review.

Tinnitus is granted as service-connected.,Traumatic brain injury is denied as not service-connected.,Right knee disability evaluation in excess of 10 percent is remanded for further examination and opinion.,Left knee disability evaluation in excess of 10 percent is remanded for further examination and opinion.,Right shoulder condition is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding etiology.,Left elbow condition is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding etiology.,Bilateral hearing loss is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding etiology.,Cervical spine condition is remanded for further examination and opinion regarding etiology.,Obstructive sleep apnea is granted as service-connected.

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 due to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be service-connected as it is at least as likely as not that he experienced the condition during his military service and has persisted since.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions, including lumbar spine condition (claimed as back condition), GERD, mental disorder (claimed as depressive illness), hyperlipidemia, left and right carpal tunnel syndrome, left and right hip arthritis, bilateral knee arthritis, discoid lupus erythematosus, hypertension, sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus have been denied. The Veteran's lumbar spine condition is not service connected due to lack of evidence showing it was incurred or aggravated during service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted. The low back disability issue is remanded due to the inadequacy of the VA medical opinion.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, diabetes, and peripheral neuropathy, rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board granted the TDIU claim.

The Veteran is granted service connection for tinnitus, as the Board finds that it is at least as likely as not related to in-service noise exposure.,Service connection for blood in urine is denied because no diagnosis was made and there are no records of treatment. The claimant has never been diagnosed with this condition.

The Board denied service connection for hearing loss disability and tinnitus, finding no credible evidence of these conditions during or within one year after service.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and an opinion regarding whether the hearing loss disability and tinnitus are related to service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service connected, but his tinnitus rating remains at the maximum allowable 10 percent.