Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2020

The Veteran is unable to maintain substantially gainful employment due to service-connected disabilities since March 1, 2014. The Board finds that the criteria for a TDIU have been met from this date.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining an advisory opinion from an independent medical expert to assess the Veteran's ability to secure and follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU as his service-connected hearing loss and tinnitus do not render him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claim for an increased initial evaluation in excess of 70 percent for PTSD was denied. The Board found that the Veteran’s symptoms met the criteria associated with a 70 percent disability rating, but did not meet the criteria for a higher rating.

The application to reopen the claim of service connection for back disability was denied, and the Veteran's TDIU claim was also denied due to his service-connected disabilities not meeting the percentage requirements.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected, but his otitis media and hearing loss are denied.,The Board has remanded the claim for residuals of bilateral mastoidectomies with residual right ear hearing loss (claimed as bilateral hearing loss) due to insufficient information in a previous VA examination.

The Veteran's tinnitus is related to his in-service noise exposure.,His decreased facial sensation is presumed to be associated with his service in Southwest Asia.

The Board has granted service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his exposure to hazardous noise during active duty training (ACDUTRA) and inactive duty training (INACDUTRA).

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, both of which are found to be related to military service. The decision also grants secondary service connection for tinnitus as a result of the Veteran's now service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the preponderance of evidence is against a link to active service.

The Veteran's claim for tinnitus was granted with an effective date of May 25, 2011. The claims for tobacco use disorder, left foot disability, right foot disability, lumbar spine disability, left hip disability, right hip disability, left leg disability, and right leg disability were all denied as not related to service or due to other pre-existing conditions.,The Veteran's claim for sleep apnea was denied. The claim for residuals of a left forearm scar was also denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for skin cancer, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus has been granted. The decision also remanded the issue of increased rating for PTSD.

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

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for testicular cancer, hands and hips pain (claimed as arthritis), bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and PTSD due to lack of evidence supporting a direct relationship with his military service. The cases are remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current tinnitus had its onset during his military service and is related to noise exposure, granting service connection for tinnitus.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from obtaining and maintaining all forms of substantially gainful employment, so his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability is denied.

The Veteran's retroactive CRSC payments are remanded due to a lack of information regarding any payments and withholdings made by VA prior to April 1, 2018.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence to support a link between his current tinnitus and his military noise exposure. The preponderance of the evidence does not support the Veteran's contention that his tinnitus began during service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD and depressive disorder, was denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD under DSM-5. The Board found that there was no in-service stressor corroborated to establish a nexus between the diagnosed conditions and service.,Service connection for tinnitus was also denied because the Veteran's first reported symptoms were decades after service, and there was no evidence of noise exposure during service.

The Board has granted service connection for a left ankle condition and remanded the issues of service connection for tinnitus and acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and depression).