Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2019

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, a psychiatric disorder (including bipolar disorder), and tinnitus due to incomplete records and inadequate medical opinions.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether these conditions were incurred during military service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims to reopen service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The claim for a higher rating for degenerative joint disease of the left shoulder is remanded.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for anxiety disorder was denied as the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 30 percent.,A rating in excess of 20 percent for bilateral hearing loss prior to September 1, 2016 was denied. Since then, a rating in excess of 30 percent has also been denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus on a direct basis, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are related to his in-service noise exposure. The claims were reopened due to new evidence received since the previous denial.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, and a TDIU prior to February 6, 2019 is granted due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to new VA treatment records being added to the record, and a need for another VA audiological examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran is unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected PTSD, granting him a TDIU.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding no nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus as there is no current evidence of a tinnitus disability during the appellate period.

The Veteran's tinnitus has been granted service connection, as the evidence is at least in equipoise that it originated during service.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss has not been established, as auditory thresholds did not meet criteria for a disability under VA regulations.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral pes planus, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The Veteran's bilateral pes planus was aggravated during active duty service. His bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his in-service acoustic trauma.

The Veteran's tinnitus was found to have begun during service and has persisted since then, meeting the criteria for service connection.

The Veteran's current bilateral tinnitus is granted as service connected, with the Board finding that it is at least as likely as not due to his in-service exposure to military acoustic trauma.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and consideration of whether the Veteran's tinnitus is caused or aggravated by his service-connected depression medications.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim of entitlement to service connection for hearing loss is dismissed. His petition to reopen his claim of entitlement to service connection for residuals of a traumatic brain injury (TBI) is granted, and the claim is granted. The Veteran’s petition to reopen his claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is denied. The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim of entitlement to service connection for tinnitus is granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been remanded due to the need for a VA examination. The Board will review the expanded record, including new evidence, to determine if service connection may be granted.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 100 percent, effective July 5, 2012.,The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated at 0 percent, effective July 5, 2012. The Veteran has been granted service connection for this condition but no effective date earlier than July 5, 2012.

The Board has dismissed the claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus and denied the claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss. The case is remanded for further action on the claims for an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD.