Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2020

The Veteran's service-connected asbestosis, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus do not prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for updated VA treatment records and a hearing loss examination. The claim for an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for bilateral tinnitus remains denied, as does the initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, and the Board has granted service connection for tinnitus. The remaining issues are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's bilateral foot condition is rated at 50 percent effective November 28, 2017.,The Veteran’s hemorrhoids are currently rated at 10 percent.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, but denied service connection for sleep disorder and bilateral hearing loss. The case is remanded to determine the etiology of hypertension.

The Board has denied DIC benefits due to the Veteran not meeting the criteria for a disability rated totally disabling for 10 or more years immediately preceding death. The cause of death is remanded as an addendum opinion from a clinician is needed regarding whether any service-connected disabilities contributed substantially or materially to the Veteran's death.

The Board denied the Veteran's petitions to reopen his previously denied claims for service connection for a cervical spine disorder, heart disorder, skin disorder of the feet, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to his exposure to herbicide agents, asbestos, and lead paint. The claims are also remanded for additional development related to potential asbestos and lead paint exposure during service. Additionally, the claims are remanded for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran currently has any residuals of pancreatic cancer, bilateral hearing loss disability, or tinnitus, and whether these conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for hepatitis C has been reopened, but the issue remains remanded. The initial rating for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss is denied. An initial 40 percent rating for diabetes mellitus is granted. Service connection for prostate cancer residuals is granted at a 10 percent rating. Service connection for neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities is denied.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder, associated with tinnitus, is rated at a 50 percent disability rating. The decision grants this increase in rating but does not address any other issues or claims.

The Veteran's tinnitus is rated at 10%, and his chronic headache disorder, hypertension, and psychiatric disability are all service-connected. The Board has found the Veteran should be provided VA examinations to determine if his sleep apnea is related to his active duty or aggravated by a service-connected condition.

The Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are related to military noise exposure. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, is remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's tinnitus is currently rated at 10 percent, the maximum schedular rating. The Board denied a higher rating as there was no legal basis for such.,The Veteran has service connection for migraine headaches due to his service-connected PTSD and tinnitus.,The Veteran’s right foot disability, right leg disability, left leg disability, left foot disability, sleep disability, and sleep apnea are all remanded due to a duty to assist error in the original decision. The Veteran is advised of alternate forms of evidence he can submit.,The Veteran's right foot disability, right leg disability, left leg disability, left foot disability, sleep disability, and sleep apnea are all remanded due to a duty to assist error in the original decision. The Veteran is advised of alternate forms of evidence he can submit.,The Veteran's right foot disability, right leg disability, left leg disability, left foot disability, sleep disability, and sleep apnea are all remanded due to a duty to assist error in the original decision. The Veteran is advised of alternate forms of evidence he can submit.,The Veteran's right foot disability, right leg disability, left leg disability, left foot disability, sleep disability, and sleep apnea are all remanded due to a duty to assist error in the original decision. The Veteran is advised of alternate forms of evidence he can submit.,The Veteran's right foot disability, right leg disability, left leg disability, left foot disability, sleep disability, and sleep apnea are all remanded due to a duty to assist error in the original decision. The Veteran is advised of alternate forms of evidence he can submit.,The Veteran's right foot disability, right leg disability, left leg disability, left foot disability, sleep disability, and sleep apnea are all remanded due to a duty to assist error in the original decision. The Veteran is advised of alternate forms of evidence he can submit.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for a 10% rating for bilateral tinnitus is denied as the law does not allow for retroactive assignment of benefits prior to September 28, 2012.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) on an extraschedular basis prior to July 31, 2012. The evidence did not support that the Veteran was unemployable at that time due to his service-connected PTSD, tinnitus, or scar of the left chest.

The Veteran's TDIU claim prior to June 24, 2010 is being remanded for the VA Director of Compensation Service to consider if an extraschedular rating should be assigned.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone did not preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment prior to September 28, 2017.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to October 26, 2018, for service connection of tinnitus, hypertension, insomnia disorder, and bilateral hearing loss. The Board found that no formal or informal claim was filed prior to this date.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to insufficient evidence regarding the dates of active duty training (ACDUTRA) or inactive duty training (INACDUTRA). The VA examiner is requested to review all available records, including National Guard and Army Reserve service treatment records and personnel records. Clarification on the onset of symptoms and conversion of audiometric data from ASA units to ISO-ANSI units are also required.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis of tinnitus is related to noise exposure in wartime service.