Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2020

The Board previously denied an earlier effective date for tinnitus service connection, but the Court remanded the case due to insufficient reasoning and potential evidence of tinnitus.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus, but denied service connection for low back disability.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral tinnitus as there is no evidence of current disability and the Veteran's recent assertions about the onset of symptoms during service are inconsistent with previous lay and medical evidence.

Service connection is granted for tinnitus. The issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, bilateral tinnitus, sinusitis, a lung condition and bladder cancer.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to inadequate rationale provided in a March 2015 VA examination. The Veteran's STRs do not show any complaints of, or treatment for, tinnitus. However, there was a slight acuity shift in both ears during service. A new VA examination is needed to determine the etiology of the current hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran was granted service connection for tinnitus, but denied service connection for hip disabilities (left and right), malaria, knee disability (left), ankle disabilities (right and left), and onychomycosis of the toenails bilaterally.,Service connection was not established for any of these conditions due to lack of a current diagnosis or credible evidence linking them to service.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not render him in need of regular aid and attendance due to his nonservice-connected disabilities, resulting in a denial of special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence of in-service noise exposure or a nexus to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was granted on August 17, 2019. The Board found that an earlier effective date is not warranted as the claim was filed within one year of separation from active duty.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus because no new or relevant evidence was submitted after the September 2014 rating decision.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, right knee patellar tendonitis, and tinnitus, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted TDIU based on the combined rating of 80 percent.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, BHL, and tinnitus were granted effective July 19, 2018.,The Veteran's claim for a higher initial disability rating for PTSD was denied.

The Veteran's service-connected tinnitus and PTSD have rendered him unemployable prior to August 23, 2014. The Board has found that referral for extraschedular consideration is warranted.

The Board has dismissed the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus because the Veteran's attempts to appeal under the Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017 were invalid.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The issues of entitlement to service connection for COPD, sleep disorder, prostate cancer, erectile dysfunction secondary to prostate cancer, and breast cancer secondary to prostate cancer have been remanded due to outstanding medical records.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected, and he receives a 10 percent initial rating for his thoracic spine disability from August 1, 2002.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding no evidence of in-service injury or disease that caused these conditions. The Veteran's claims were based on presumed exposure to noise during active service.

The Veteran's tinnitus was present during service and continues to this day, meeting the criteria for service connection.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.