Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2020

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that both conditions are related to the Veteran's in-service acoustic trauma. The decision also establishes secondary service connection for tinnitus as a symptom of his service-connected right ear hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for coronary artery disease, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus due to incomplete records and inadequate VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA examiner to provide an opinion on whether current hearing loss disability arose during service or is otherwise related to service, including as due to noise exposure from working on aircraft runways or being near a generator explosion.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence of in-service onset or continuity of symptomatology.

The Board granted service connection for left foot disability, temporomandibular disorder (TMD), and denied a higher rating for bilateral tinnitus. The effective dates for these decisions were set at January 30, 2018.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to insufficient medical evidence regarding the relationship between his in-service noise exposure and current conditions. The Veteran is not service-connected for TBI residuals, which may have contributed to his tinnitus.

The Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss have been granted service connection. The low back disorder issue is being remanded for further examination.

The Board has remanded the cases of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to a lack of an examination addressing whether these conditions are related to the Veteran's reported in-service injury.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 30 percent for hiatal hernia with GERD and granted a TDIU, finding the Veteran unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus due to a lack of adequate medical examination, as the Veteran presented with significant difficulty understanding questions during his previous VA examination.

The Board denied the claim for TDIU due to insufficient evidence showing that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board denied the claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) by reason of service-connected disabilities, for purposes of accrued benefits.

The Board has remanded the issues of entitlement to initial disability ratings in excess of 10 percent for right and left knee patellofemoral syndrome due to the submission of additional evidence since the August 2016 SOC.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and examination, including a VA psychiatric evaluation to determine if any current psychiatric disability is etiologically related to active service or any event, disease, or injury during service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral tinnitus and denied service connection for a back disability, PTSD, and an acquired psychiatric disorder to include depression or bipolar disorder.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to concerns about the adequacy of a 2011 VA examination, specifically regarding the examiner's failure to address certain pieces of lay evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected low back disability is granted at a 40 percent rating from March 8, 2018. The appeal for increased ratings prior to that date is denied.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as they are related to his in-service submarine duties. The VA will obtain additional medical opinions to determine if there is a link between the disabilities and service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities are at least as likely as not related to in-service exposure, granting service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been denied as the evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to his military service. The Veteran's claim for TDIU has also been denied because he is not unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities.