Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2020

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disorder, peripheral vestibular disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus due to insufficient examination reports and failure to address certain issues.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for the cause of his death, finding that there was no evidence to support a link between any of his service-connected conditions and his death. The Board also found that none of his service-connected disabilities contributed to his death.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus and ischemic heart disease due to his withdrawal of these issues. The skin disability claim is denied as there is no evidence of a current chronic skin condition, while the tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss disabilities are remanded for additional development.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus due to inadequate examination opinions. The case is returned to VA for further development.

The Veteran's tinnitus is at least as likely as not etiologically related to his active duty service, and the claim for service connection for tinnitus has been granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran is not unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities, as there is no evidence showing that any of his service-connected conditions alone or in combination render him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for neck disorder, syncope, tinnitus, and hypertension have been denied. The claim for increased rating of degenerative joint disease of the thoracolumbar spine is remanded.,A total disability rating based on individual employability prior to December 17, 2018 has also been denied.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for left knee DJD and TDIU was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating for left knee DJD, as it did not meet the criteria for a rating in excess of 10 percent under DCs 5260-5262. For TDIU, the Veteran's combined disability rating is 80%, and he has met the schedular requirements since October 2011. However, there was no evidence showing that his service-connected disabilities have precluded him from gainful employment.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss and tinnitus are granted service connection. Right ear hearing loss is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability.,A pulmonary disability is remanded for further development, including obtaining treatment records and scheduling an examination by a VA pulmonologist to determine the nature and etiology of any diagnosed pulmonary disability.,The Veteran's psychiatric disability is remanded for an additional VA examination to determine its severity and whether it precludes him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

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

The Veteran's bilateral hip disorder and tinnitus are granted, but his peripheral neuropathy of the right lower extremity and bilateral upper extremities is remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development and clarification, including the reopening of a schizophrenia claim and service connection for various psychiatric disorders. The Veteran's right ovary wedge resection is also being addressed with a separate rating.,Additional medical records need to be obtained from SSA and attempts should be made to obtain her full service personnel records.

The Board denied service connection for right and left knee disorders, as well as bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The evidence did not show that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by military service.,There is no clear and unmistakable evidence showing a pre-existing condition of the Veteran's knees or ears was aggravated by service.

The Board has decided to remand the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to incomplete STRs, which were not obtained. The case is being sent back for further development including obtaining missing records from the Department of Defense-Military Division and scheduling a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), bilateral hearing loss disability, and left knee disability are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions.

The Veteran's current tinnitus, low back condition, and skin condition are not service-connected. The claims for these conditions have been remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for tinnitus is denied as there is no earlier effective date possible under the law.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment prior to June 12, 2012.

The Board has dismissed all claims for service connection due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have left him unable to find gainful employment prior to March 11, 2008. The Board granted entitlement to TDIU on an extraschedular basis from February 28, 2008 to March 11, 2008.