Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2020

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including obstructive sleep apnea, psychiatric disability, headache disability, and tinnitus, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. As a result, the Board has granted a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to his military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the issue of asbestosis due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran's tinnitus is related to in-service noise exposure, while his asbestosis requires further development and examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a sleep condition, tinnitus, and migraine headaches have been reopened.,Service connection has been granted for migraine headaches.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a chest rash, a right knee disorder, and hypertension as the evidence does not support a nexus to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and sleep apnea, have rendered him unable to secure or maintain gainful employment for the period from November 20, 2014 to September 24, 2015. The Board has granted TDIU based on this evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding no evidence of a causal relationship between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether these conditions are related to service exposure.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected because it began during active service and has been ongoing ever since.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for right ear hearing loss, tinnitus, residuals of prostate cancer (claimed as due to herbicide exposure in Thailand), decreased bladder control associated with residuals of prostate cancer, and impotence associated with residuals of prostate cancer. The Veteran is required to provide details about his alleged in-service herbicide exposure and VA will attempt to verify this exposure. Additionally, the Veteran needs to be afforded a VA examination for right ear hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss and tinnitus are granted service connection. The right ear hearing loss claim is remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are of such severity that they preclude him from engaging in substantially gainful employment, and the Board has granted a TDIU for the entire appeal period.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The right ankle disability is rated at 10 percent, the left knee disability is not service-connected, and the hearing loss and tinnitus are also not service-connected.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether it was incurred during service. Service connection for tinnitus remains denied.

The Veteran's claim for reopening and granting service connection for left knee disorder, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss has been granted. The claims for respiratory disorder, colon disorder, and peripheral neuropathy of the lower extremities are remanded due to outstanding medical records.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric condition (PTSD), tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss are all granted as service-connected.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service-connected tinnitus and PTSD should be remanded to allow the RO to provide a Statement of the Case on these issues.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss and peripheral neuropathy associated with diabetes mellitus, prevent him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence and need for further examination. The issues include hearing impairment, tinnitus, bilateral pes planus, and bilateral knee disability.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus effective October 12, 2017. The Veteran's original claims were denied in April 2014 but the appeal was not perfected until October 17, 2017 when he filed a petition to reopen his claim.