Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2019

The Veteran's death was not caused by a service-connected disability, but he had been receiving total disability based on individual unemployability for at least ten years prior to his death. Therefore, DIC benefits under Section 1318 are granted.

The Veteran's initial rating for tinnitus was denied, and his COPD was granted with staged ratings. The issue of hearing loss is remanded, and the TDIU claim is deferred.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including right ankle arthrodesis, left knee osteoarthritis with chondromalacia and total knee arthroplasty, posttraumatic stress disorder, left ankle arthroplasty, tinnitus, right hip degenerative joint disease, and left hip degenerative joint disease, are found to be of such nature and severity as to preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment. As a result, the Veteran's TDIU claim is granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus have been granted. However, the preponderance of evidence is against finding that these disabilities had their onset during active service or are otherwise etiologically related to in-service noise exposure.

Service connection for tinnitus and an undiagnosed lumbar spine disability has been granted.,Ratings have been assigned for right knee strain with shin splints, instability, pain and joint effusion, bilateral pes planus, and PTSD.

The Veteran's death was not due to his own willful misconduct, and he was in receipt of or entitled to receive compensation for a service-connected disability rated totally disabling at the time of his death. However, the Veteran did not have a total rating due to a service-connected disability prior to his death.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus type 2, prostate cancer residuals, hypertension, tinnitus, erectile dysfunction, and bilateral hearing loss, rendered him unable to obtain or maintain gainful employment. His TDIU claim was granted effective from February 1, 2015.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and an increased evaluation for chronic musculoskeletal chest pain, residuals of right pneumothorax. The evidence did not support a finding that these conditions were related to military service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, finding that it is due to noise exposure during active duty.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of a right foot injury, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus have been denied. The case is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the reliability of the VA audiological examinations conducted in 2014 and 2016. A new examination will be scheduled with a different examiner who must provide an opinion on whether the conditions began during service, were noted during service, or are related to active military service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, but the decision on bilateral hearing loss is pending as it was remanded.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected due to in-service noise exposure and continuous symptoms since separation.

The Board has denied service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability and granted service connection for tinnitus. The denial of the hearing loss claim is based on lack of evidence showing that it began in service or within one year after service, while the grant of tinnitus is based on continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and dismissed his claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus. The evidence did not support a higher rating for either condition.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology. A new VA examination is needed to determine if these conditions are related to service.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and esophageal cancer due to asbestos exposure. The Veteran's current hearing loss is not related to his in-service noise exposure, as there was no specific event linked to its onset. His tinnitus did not manifest within the one-year presumptive period or be otherwise related to service. Esophageal cancer is not considered related to asbestos exposure during service.,The Board denied service connection for esophageal cancer due to asbestos exposure. The Veteran's current diagnosis of esophageal cancer was found not to be linked to his in-service asbestos exposure, as there were no pre-existing diseases that predispose him to the condition.

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 duty service.

The Veteran's death was attributed to ischemic heart disease, which is presumed due to his service-connected PTSD. The appeal for a back disability, an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD, and TDIU remains pending.

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