Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2019

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection of bilateral flat feet, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus (including secondary to bilateral hearing loss) due to the death of the appellant.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, thus granting his claim for TDIU.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus are service-connected due to in-service noise exposure. The issues of increased ratings for radiculopathy and lumbar spondylosis, as well as service connection for COPD and TDIU, have been remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to service connection for hearing loss in both ears and tinnitus due to incomplete factual history and inadequate medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to in-service acoustic trauma. The Veteran underwent a VA examination in November 2014, but the examiner provided a negative nexus opinion based on normal hearing at separation without considering delayed onset or continuity of symptoms.

The Veteran's service-connected hearing loss and tinnitus do not prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has determined that further development is necessary to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as service records are presumed destroyed. The claims for service connection are therefore remanded.

The Veteran's appeal for specially adapted housing and special home adaptation grant was denied as he does not meet the eligibility criteria due to his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to the lack of recent VA treatment records and an updated application for part-time work.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus is rated at 20 percent, and he is granted special monthly compensation based on the need for aid and attendance of another. The issues regarding service connection for Parkinson’s disease and sleep apnea secondary to PTSD have not yet been adjudicated.

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

The Board has decided that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss may be related to service or his tinnitus disability, and a supplemental medical opinion is needed to clarify this relationship.

The Veteran's tinnitus is related to in-service noise exposure and service connection for this condition is granted.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right knee cyst, tinnitus, a right lower extremity vein condition, and a left lower extremity vein condition due to new evidence received since previous decisions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been dismissed due to their death during the appeal process.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, and the appeal for sleep apnea is dismissed.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection have been dismissed. The Board has remanded the remaining issues due to the need to obtain Social Security Administration (SSA) records.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for diabetes mellitus and remanded the issues of rating for left ear hearing loss, tinnitus and vertigo, and TDIU. Additional development is needed to determine if type 2 diabetes was present during the appeal period, assess the current severity of inner ear disability, and consider whether it would be more beneficial to rate the Veteran's service-connected disabilities under Diagnostic Code 6204.

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

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as the evidence did not show these conditions were incurred or aggravated by active service.