Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2019

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to have started during service and has been present continuously since then, meeting the criteria for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have caused him to be unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, leading to the grant of TDIU. The PTSD is rated at 70% disabling, but the Veteran asserts he should receive a 100% rating. He needs an updated VA examination for his psychiatric disability.

The Veteran's right wrist disorder is being granted compensation under the provisions of 38 U.S.C. § 1151 due to VA failure to properly diagnose and treat his initial injury.,Compensation for hepatitis C is denied as there is no evidence that VA treatment caused any additional disability.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's conditions did not manifest in service or within a presumptive period, were not shown to be related to his active duty service, and continuity of symptomatology was not established.,Service connection could only be granted on a direct basis, but the preponderance of evidence did not support a finding of a nexus between the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus and his military service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and earlier effective dates were denied. The case was also remanded to obtain VA treatment records, issue an SOC on the issues of SMC and earlier effective date, and schedule a hearing loss examination.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for anxiety disorder was reopened, and he is now entitled to a rating of 60 percent for coronary artery disease (CAD) from August 23, 2017 onwards. His claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, peripheral vascular disease, and nephrolithiasis are denied. Service connection for liver disease and peripheral neuropathy of the left upper extremity secondary to diabetes is also denied.

The Veteran's tinnitus has been granted service connection, and the effective date for bilateral hearing loss is denied. The issues of ED secondary to PTSD, a compensable evaluation for hearing loss, an increased rating for PTSD, and TDIU are all remanded.

The Board has found that the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are inextricably intertwined, so both issues have been remanded for further action.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment, warranting a TDIU rating.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not warrant a compensable rating.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service-connected, with the hearing loss being considered a direct result of noise exposure during service. The tinnitus is presumed to have developed due to in-service noise exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is likely due to his service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board denied service connection for various conditions, including degenerative arthritis of the thoracic spine, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, calcified nodules in the left lung, ischemic heart disease, and hypertension. The reasons given were lack of evidence linking these conditions to service or any presumptive exposure.

The Board has remanded the cases for further examination and evaluation due to a lack of recent audiological assessments, which are necessary to determine if there has been any worsening or additional symptoms related to the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is at least as likely as not due to noise exposure during service, and therefore grants service connection for tinnitus.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable, and his application for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability is denied.

The Board has denied service connection for left knee, right knee, and tinnitus disabilities. The Veteran's claims for service connection for left shoulder and bilateral foot/ankle disabilities are remanded.,Service connection cannot be granted for the Veteran's claimed left knee, right knee, and tinnitus disabilities due to lack of a current disability diagnosis or evidence of in-service injury or disease. The Board has also denied service connection for his left shoulder and bilateral foot/ankle disabilities as there is no evidence of an in-service event, injury, or continuous symptoms since service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (PTSD, urinary tract infections, and tinnitus) do not prevent her from obtaining suitable employment. She has a combined rating of 90% and is currently employed in an occupation consistent with her abilities, aptitudes, and interests.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection, while male sterility, skin condition (claimed as lesions on back), ischemic heart disease, nose cancer, acquired psychiatric disorder (including depressive disorder and PTSD), gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD), and stomach ulcer are all denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to his active service and has granted service connection for this condition.