Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2019

Service connection is granted for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The lung disability (to include asthma) claim is remanded.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted with an initial rating of 50 percent effective October 30, 2018.,A separate compensable rating for diabetic nephropathy is remanded.

The Veteran is granted a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability (TDIU) effective March 17, 2017 due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment, leading to a grant of TDIU.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for Meniere’s Syndrome and tinnitus disability, but denied these claims on their merits.,Service connection was not granted for a neck injury or TBI as there is no competent evidence of current disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for ED, BHL, tinnitus, OSA, and depression are reopened. The Board has remanded several issues including increased ratings and effective dates. Service connection is granted for OSA but denied for BHL and tinnitus. Depression is service connected.

The Board has determined that further development is needed for the Veteran's claims of service connection for various disabilities, including right and left leg disorders, bilateral hearing loss disability, tinnitus, GERD, erectile dysfunction, headaches, and an acquired psychiatric disorder. The claims are being remanded to allow for additional examinations and medical opinions.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's tinnitus began during his military service and is related to noise exposure.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss, tinnitus, and diabetes mellitus type 2 due to herbicide exposure in Vietnam. Service connection for right ear hearing loss was denied as there is no current disability. The Veteran's depressive disorder NOS is found to be related to his military service.

The Board has decided that service connection for tinnitus is granted. However, the decision on service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to an inadequate medical opinion in the July 2015 VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, allergic rhinitis, heart disease, liver disorder (abnormal liver enzymes), and gastroesophageal reflux disease were denied as secondary to service-connected conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to in-service acoustic trauma. The decision is based on credible lay statements from the Veteran and his family members.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are granted for tinnitus, head injury (TBI), and headache disorder. The Board finds the Veteran has credible evidence of in-service events that support these claims. However, his claims for right total knee replacement, left ankle fracture, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) are remanded as there is insufficient medical opinion to establish a nexus between his current conditions and service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, leading to the grant of a TDIU.

The Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are being remanded for further evaluation as the current ratings do not reflect their severity.

Service connection for tinnitus is granted, and the initial compensable rating for asbestosis-related pleural disease is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, bilateral tinnitus, and hypertension have been granted. The claim for low back disability is remanded.

The Veteran was granted service connection for tinnitus, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The decision found that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to his in-service noise exposure and awarded service connection based on direct evidence of a link between service and the condition.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are presumed to have been incurred in service due to continuous symptoms since separation.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for the issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, sinusitis, pulmonary condition, and residuals of acid reflux.