Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2020

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, which does not meet the criteria for a higher rating.,Beginning September 19, 2015, the Veteran was granted TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied service connection for the residuals of lacerations to the left little finger, right index and ring fingers, and a jammed right thumb. The Veteran did not have any chronic disabilities related to these injuries during or after service.,Service connection was also denied for a low back disability, bilateral hearing loss disability, tinnitus, and sinus/allergic disorder. There is no evidence of such conditions until many years after the Veteran's separation from service.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, left foot disability, and back disability. The claim for tinnitus was denied as there is no evidence of in-service noise exposure.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, but has remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to an incomplete audiometric test at separation from service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and evaluations. The issues include PTSD, hearing loss, tinnitus, cystic kidney disease, keratoconjunctivitis, sleep apnea, and an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to obtain or retain substantially gainful employment, and the Board has granted a TDIU based on this finding.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including major depressive disorder, tinnitus, and ischemic heart disease, render him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's cause of death is denied as there is no evidence that his service-connected disabilities caused or contributed to his death. For the period from July 7, 2010 to September 15, 2010, the Veteran was granted a TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate examination and exposure verification. The Veteran is requested to provide updated VA treatment records, determine if his duties placed him near the base perimeter in Thailand, verify herbicide agent exposure, and obtain appropriate medical opinions regarding hypertension and erectile dysfunction.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for tinnitus and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to a lack of current evidence supporting her claims, and because there is uncertainty regarding whether she meets the criteria for PTSD. The Veteran was exposed to noise in service but did not have a diagnosis of tinnitus at any time during or after service. For the psychiatric claim, the Board found that the April 2014 VA examination report was internally inconsistent and remanded for clarification.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his previously denied claim of service connection for kidney failure has been granted. The Board finds new and material evidence that relates to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the Veteran’s claim, which is raising a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claim.,The Veteran's duodenal ulcer is currently rated at 20 percent under Diagnostic Code 7305. The Board has determined that his symptoms do not warrant a higher rating as they are primarily continuous abdominal pain.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to July 18, 2018.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not related to his military service. The evidence is in equipoise regarding whether the Veteran's tinnitus is secondary to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are found to be so severe that they render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral tinnitus but has remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has granted an effective date of November 24, 2013 for the grant of a TDIU due to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD and tinnitus preventing him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and has remanded the remaining issues due to inadequate medical opinions.

The Veteran's tinnitus is not related to his period of service, and therefore, service connection for tinnitus is denied.,The Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of left upper extremity neuropathy. Service connection for left upper extremity neuropathy is not warranted.,For the period prior to May 29, 2018, the Veteran's left elbow disability manifested in arthritis with normal range of motion and no pain on examination. A noncompensable rating is appropriate from that time. From May 29, 2018, a 10 percent rating is appropriate for limitation of flexion.,For the period prior to May 29, 2018, the Veteran's left elbow disability manifested in arthritis with normal range of motion and no pain on examination. A noncompensable rating is appropriate from that time. From May 29, 2018, a noncompensable rating is appropriate for limitation of extension.,Service connection for arthritis (claimed as gout) is remanded.,Service connection for sleep apnea is remanded.,Service connection for hypertension is remanded.,Service connection for residuals of TBI is remanded.,Service connection for headache is remanded.,Service connection for a vision disability is remanded.,Service connection for a left knee disability is remanded.,Service connection for a right knee disability is remanded.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination used in the previous decision. The Veteran is entitled to a new VA examination related to his tinnitus.

The Veteran withdrew all his pending appeals for service connection and increased rating claims, including those related to left-foot arthritis, right-foot arthritis, tinnitus, pseudofolliculitis barbae, sleep condition, headaches, and eye condition.