Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2020

The Board has found that the Veteran's tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss disability, and lower back disability are service-connected. However, additional evidence is needed to determine if his acquired psychiatric disorder (likely including PTSD, anxiety disorder, persistent depressive disorder, and dysthymic disorder) and sciatic nerve disability are also service-connected.

The Veteran's headaches are granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's tinnitus is denied a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board has remanded the claims for left ear hearing loss, right ear hearing loss, and tinnitus due to inadequate VA opinions that did not reconcile findings from the separation examination or explain how hearing loss can improve.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various disabilities are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and consideration of outstanding treatment records.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current ringing in his ears is more likely than not related to military noise exposure. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there was no evidence of a current disability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus did not manifest during service and is not otherwise related to service, including as secondary to his service-connected traumatic brain injury (TBI). The claim for service connection for tinnitus is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment, as he has been employed full-time for over 25 years. The Board finds that his service-connected conditions alone did not render him unemployable.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and residuals of a left cheek cyst removal are remanded due to conflicting medical opinions.

The Veteran's tinnitus and left ear hearing loss have been granted service connection. The Board has found an approximate balance of positive and negative evidence regarding the Veteran's right ear hearing loss, stroke, facial numbness, right leg numbness, hypertension, skin cancer, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy, and erectile dysfunction. These issues are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional review of new VA treatment records submitted since the last Statement of the Case. The issues include rating and service connection for various conditions, including a left knee disability, tinnitus, laceration of the right eye, skin rash (itching), headaches secondary to the laceration, vision loss, ischemic heart disease due to herbicide exposure, hypertension to include as secondary to herbicide exposure, sleep apnea to include as secondary to herbicide exposure, hyperechoic liver mass to include as secondary to herbicide exposure, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and hyperlipidemia.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased rating for coronary artery disease was denied, and his claim for TDIU was also denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not meet the schedular criteria for a higher initial rating or TDIU based on service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea, hypertension, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus due to the need for further evidentiary development.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased disability rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus has been dismissed. The claims for increased ratings for PTSD and bilateral hearing loss, as well as the claim for TDIU based on service-connected disabilities, are being remanded.

The Veteran's claim for an initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss has been denied.,The Veteran's claim for an increased evaluation for tinnitus has been denied as a matter of law.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, as his unemployability is due to Parkinson’s disease and associated symptoms.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied due to lack of new and material evidence. The claim for a left hip scar was reopened, but the Board found no causal relationship between the current condition and service, thus denying service connection.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient rationale in the VA examiner's opinion regarding the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus, which are related to service exposure. A new examination is needed to determine if these conditions are related to service.

The Board denied service connection for tinnitus and sleep apnea, finding that the evidence did not support a link to service or exposure to herbicide agents.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current disabilities and military noise exposure.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and residuals of a traumatic brain injury due to new evidence received since his previous denial. The TBI claim is pending, but requires further examination.