Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2019

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to new and material evidence. The Board also found that these conditions are related to his military service, granting service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities were not incurred in or aggravated by service, and therefore denied these claims. The issues of entitlement to service connection for other conditions remain pending.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's previously denied claims for service connection of a heart condition, lumbar spine condition, hearing loss, and tinnitus have been reopened. The cases are now remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are currently rated at the maximum disability ratings. The Board has found that a higher rating is not warranted for either condition.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The Board denied the TDIU claim due to the nonservice-connected back disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, depression, and dysthymia, are remanded due to inadequate VA examination opinions. Additional evidence is needed to properly assess the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are denied. The Veteran is granted service connection for depression as secondary to his service-connected PTSD.

The Veteran's TDIU rating is granted effective August 15, 2012. Basic eligibility to Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) benefits under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 35 is also granted effective August 15, 2012.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as there is insufficient medical evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has granted service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus, but dismissed the appeal of service connection for chest pain and a right eye condition. The bilateral knee condition is remanded for further examination.

Service connection is denied for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. Service connection is granted for ischemic heart disease (coronary artery disease) due to Agent Orange exposure, and bowel urgency as secondary to prostate cancer.,The Veteran's fatigue symptoms are being evaluated further.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis of tinnitus did not begin during service or is otherwise unrelated to an in-service injury, event, or disease.

The Veteran's tinnitus was not incurred in or aggravated by service and may not be presumed to have been incurred therein. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the criteria for service connection.

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

The Veteran's initial compensable rating claim for allergic rhinitis was denied, and the tinnitus claim was remanded due to inadequate examination.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to have started during service and is presumed to be related to noise exposure, meeting the criteria for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are remanded due to inadequacies in the November 2013 VA examination report. The Board finds a new VA examination is necessary as it is unclear whether there was acoustic trauma or hazardous noise exposure during service.,The Veteran's claims for left and right lower extremity neuropathy are remanded due to inadequate consideration of his Agent Orange exposure claim. A VA examination is needed to determine the etiology of his neuropathy, including its relationship to service and herbicide exposure.,The Veteran's initial ratings for PTSD and depressive disorder are remanded as there may be additional relevant medical records that have not been obtained yet. The Board also notes that a TDIU claim is inextricably intertwined with the other claims.,The Veteran's entitlement to a TDIU is remanded due to the need for further development of his disability picture, including obtaining VA treatment records from November 2017 onwards.

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

The Veteran's tinnitus and PTSD were granted service connection, while his bilateral hearing loss and knee disability were denied. The left shoulder disability was restored to a 20% rating.