Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2020

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied. Service connection is granted for tinnitus and lumbar degenerative joint and disc disease.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, finding that his tinnitus began during active duty and is related to in-service noise exposure. The appeal was decided on the merits of the direct service connection theory.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, and the Board has granted a TDIU based on this finding.

The Board has remanded several issues related to service connection for various conditions, including obstructive sleep apnea and tinnitus. The remaining claims are pending further development.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is denied as his service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU, and his combined disability rating does not amount to the percentage needed to qualify for a grant of TDIU.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, DDD of the lumbar spine, coronary artery disease, tinnitus, radiculopathy, and hearing loss, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted TDIU based on these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied.,The Veteran's claim for a disability rating greater than 10 percent for bilateral tinnitus, including on an extraschedular basis, is denied.,The Veteran's claim for TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities is granted.

The Board has remanded the claims of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to a lack of an examination, as well as additional private medical evidence submitted by the Veteran.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for acute microhematuria, tinnitus, and a lumbar spine disorder. However, these claims are being remanded to allow for further development.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus for further examination and opinion due to insufficient evidence in the record.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to incomplete and contradictory medical opinions from VA examiners. Additional VA treatment records are needed, and a new VA examination is required.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for various conditions, including gastrointestinal disorder and lower abdomen pain, all of which are secondary to residuals of colon cancer. The decision is pending further review.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran’s death, finding that his death was not caused or contributed substantially to by a service-connected disability.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial disability rating greater than 10 percent for tinnitus, and the grant of service connection for tinnitus prior to February 4, 2015 have been dismissed.,The Veteran's appeals for service connection for ovarian disorder, vitamin deficiency, right ankle chronic lateral collateral ligament sprain, loss of sleep, and a migraine headache disorder have all been dismissed.

The Board denied service connection for tinnitus as there was no evidence linking the condition to service, including in-service noise exposure. The Veteran's tinnitus began many years after service and neither a VA examiner nor a VHA expert found it related to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus have been reopened, but the Board has decided to remand these issues due to a procedural error in not considering the new evidence on their merits.

The Board has decided that a TDIU is warranted due to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing and following substantially gainful employment. The decision is remanded for further action including obtaining outstanding medical records, clarifying part-time employment history, and seeking documents related to any applications for SSDI or unemployment insurance benefits.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development regarding the Veteran's claim of tinnitus, including a review of service records and an examination to determine if tinnitus was present during service or related to noise exposure.

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 hearing loss or tinnitus to a compensable degree within one year after discharge from service.

The Veteran's tinnitus, left ear hearing loss, and PTSD are granted service connection. The right ear hearing loss claim is denied.