Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2019

The Board has denied claims for an effective date earlier than March 31, 2016 for the awards of service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus. The claim for a higher initial rating for bilateral hearing loss is remanded.

The Veteran's claim for a higher initial evaluation for bilateral tinnitus has been denied as the maximum schedular rating of 10 percent is already assigned.,Service connection for cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, right upper extremity (RUE) disability, left lower extremity (LLE) radiculopathy, and right lower extremity (RLE) radiculopathy are remanded due to conflicting medical opinions regarding their etiology.,The Veteran's claim for a TDIU is also remanded as it may be affected by the outcome of his service connection claims.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's in-service acoustic trauma during combat service is presumed to have caused these current disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and PTSD have been granted.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and bilateral tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss and tinnitus are granted service connection, but his migraine headaches secondary to a service-connected disability are denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation with his education and occupational background, warranting the grant of TDIU.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not caused or incurred in service, as there is no evidence of noise exposure during active duty that would support a finding of service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current condition is at least as likely as not related to his active service. However, it denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to a lack of evidence showing its onset during or within one year after service.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, right shoulder disability, left wrist disability, and left elbow disability. The decision is mixed as some issues were granted while others were not.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone are of sufficient severity to produce unemployability from May 24, 2012. The Board has vacated the November 2018 remand and remanded the issues on appeal.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as the evidence did not show a link between these conditions and military service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that both conditions are related to in-service noise exposure.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current condition is not related to his in-service noise exposure and there was no evidence of a compensable degree of hearing loss within one year after separation from service.,The Board also denied service connection for tinnitus, noting that the Veteran did not report any symptoms indicative of tinnitus during service and found his current assertions to be inconsistent with his prior statements.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are more likely than not related to his in-service noise exposure.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and remanded the issue of an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The appeals for bilateral hearing loss and residuals of a broken nose are dismissed due to withdrawal by the Veteran.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 70 percent for service-connected PTSD was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not show total occupational and social impairment, which is required for a 100 percent rating under Diagnostic Code 9411. A TDIU rating was granted effective April 29, 2015.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service-connected due to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, bilateral tinnitus, and migraines are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding their etiology.