Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2019

The Veteran's initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss was denied.,An initial rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus was also denied.,Service connection for colon cancer, bladder cancer, and lung cancer were all denied.,Service connection for left knee disorder and right knee disorder were both denied.,Service connection for a left ankle disorder was not addressed as it did not meet the criteria for service connection.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection of tinnitus and granted it, finding that there is at least equipoise evidence to support a finding that his current tinnitus was incurred in service.

The Veteran's tinnitus claim is denied as it is secondary to his nonservice-connected hearing loss.,Service connection for a bilateral hip disorder, right knee disorder, and sleep disorder are denied due to lack of current disabilities.,The effective date for the grant of service connection for left knee and tibia disability is denied as there was no pending claim for hearing loss during the appeal period.

The Veteran's petition to reopen previously denied claims for left wrist condition, bilateral ankle tendinitis, and low back condition were granted. The petitions for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied.

The Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection for a left leg disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. Specifically, VA needs to obtain updated service treatment records and conduct further examinations to determine if these conditions are related to military service.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for tinnitus is granted. The issue of a rating in excess of 10 percent for lumbosacral strain is remanded.

The Veteran's tinnitus is not related to service, and the Board denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has denied service connection for Parkinson's disease, peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, and tinnitus. The Veteran is also remanded for further examinations related to his shell fragment wounds.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims due to insufficient evidence or need for additional development. The effective date of benefits is not addressed in this decision.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are inextricably intertwined with his claim for service connection for an ear disability. Therefore, these issues have been remanded to allow for further development.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim for service connection for tinnitus. The Veteran's current disability of tinnitus is presumed, as it was present during service. Given the existence of evidence both for and against the claim, the Board finds that the evidence is in relative equipoise as to whether the Veteran's tinnitus arose during service. Upon resolution of all reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor, the Board concludes that service connection is now warranted for tinnitus.

The Board denied service connection for a left shoulder and left bicep disability, as well as bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The Veteran's claims were not supported by competent evidence linking the disabilities to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including dysthymic disorder with anxiety symptoms, migraine headaches, tinnitus, cervical spine degenerative disc disease, right ear hearing loss, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), preclude her from securing or following substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a TDIU rating based on these service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection, and his right shoulder disability (limitation of motion and instability) are each granted a separate rating. The Board also denied service connection for sleep disorder.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability, continuity of symptomatology since service, or etiological relationship to service.,The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to September 9, 2013 for the assignment of a 10 percent rating for lumbosacral strain was dismissed because it lacks legal merit.

The Veteran's death did not result in any pending claims for accrued benefits or substitution purposes, as there were no unadjudicated claims at the time of his death.

The Veteran's service-connected hearing loss and tinnitus, when considered as one body system or of the same etiology, meet the schedular percentage threshold requirements for consideration of a TDIU effective April 29, 2013. The Board grants a Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) as of that date.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus and granted it, finding that there is at least an equipoise of evidence to support a relationship between the Veteran's in-service noise exposure and his current tinnitus.

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

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted. The claim for left ear hearing loss is remanded.