Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2019

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus based on the presumption of service connection due to noise exposure in service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including lumbar spine with intervertebral disc syndrome, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and radiculopathy of the lower extremities, render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. As such, TDIU is granted.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating of tinnitus and service connection for PTSD has been remanded due to the submission of new VA treatment records. The claims will be reconsidered with these records, and a new psychiatric examination is required.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service. His claim for increased rating for right shoulder degenerative joint disease was granted with a 10% disability rating.

The Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service-connected, with the Board attributing these conditions to noise exposure during his military service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service connected due to exposure to noise during military service, meeting the criteria for presumptive service connection.

The Veteran's application to reopen his claim for service connection for tinnitus, an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and depression), and heart problems has been granted. The claims for PTSD and depressive disorder have been reopened due to new evidence linking the conditions to a service-connected condition (left knee disability). Service connection for obstructive sleep apnea on secondary basis is also granted. However, service connection for tinnitus, heart problems, and acquired psychiatric disorders are denied.

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

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether these conditions are related to active service.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted service connection.,Service connection for left ear hearing loss is remanded.

The Veteran's left shoulder disability, diabetes mellitus, and bilateral hearing loss are service-connected. The Veteran is granted a temporary 100% rating for his left shoulder prosthetic replacement and an initial 20% rating for his diabetes mellitus. He is also granted entitlement to TDIU based on the combined effect of multiple service-connected disabilities. His tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss claims are denied.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral pes planus, tinnitus, sleep apnea, insomnia, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (nightmares) as the evidence did not show a current disability or a link to military service.,Service connection was denied because there was no increase in severity of pes planus during service, and the Veteran's tinnitus is not related to military noise exposure.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been remanded by the Board. The issues include high blood pressure, tinnitus, migraine headaches, seizure disability, hallux valgus (left foot), and adjustment disorder with depressed mood.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to her active service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's tinnitus has been rated at 10 percent since the beginning of the appeal period, and a higher rating is denied as there is no provision for multiple ratings under Diagnostic Code 6260.

The Veteran's tinnitus was not shown as chronic in service and did not manifest to a compensable degree within the applicable presumptive period. The Board found that continuity of symptomatology is not established, and the disability is not otherwise etiologically related to an in-service injury or disease.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, finding that his tinnitus had onset after service and was not related to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are not service-connected due to lack of in-service noise exposure.,PTSD is currently rated at 10 percent, but the Veteran's symptoms warrant a higher rating.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that these conditions are at least as likely as not related to his military noise exposure.

The Board denied the petitions to reopen claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, and granted a 20% rating for erectile dysfunction with a separate 10% rating for a painful scar from December 13, 2018.