Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2020

Service connection is granted for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine.,Service connection is denied for a right ear disorder manifested by pain.

The Board has dismissed the appeal of the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The claims for service connection for status post extensor tendon repair of the left wrist and tinnitus have been granted.

The Board has dismissed the appeals of service connection for various conditions as the Veteran passed away during the appeal process.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him in need of regular aid and attendance or substantially confine him to his home, thus SMC based on the need for aid and attendance or at the housebound rate is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are at least as likely as not related to his military service.

The Veteran's increased ratings for cluster headaches and tinnitus, as well as his service connection claims for various conditions, are denied.,Service connection is not granted for head injury, breathing problems, blurred vision, or orthopedic problems.

The Veteran's tinnitus claim has been granted, while his bilateral hearing loss claim is being remanded for further evaluation.,Service connection will be determined for the Veteran's tinnitus based on credible evidence of in-service onset and continuity. However, service connection cannot be established for his bilateral hearing loss due to lack of evidence showing a nexus between current hearing loss and military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions were denied, and the Board found that there was no clear and unmistakable error in previous decisions.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for a new examination and opinion due to insufficient information provided by the April 2018 VA examiner. The Veteran's claims are related to noise exposure during service.

The Board has decided that additional development is needed before the claims on appeal can be fully considered. The Veteran's service records are incomplete, and VA needs to obtain his Social Security Administration (SSA) disability benefits decision and any medical records used in making this determination. Additionally, all outstanding VA medical records should be obtained.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment since July 25, 2013. The Board has remanded the case for consideration of an extra-schedular TDIU prior to that date.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not service-connected, but has granted service connection for tinnitus based on credible lay evidence of in-service noise exposure.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a gum condition (loss of teeth) due to lack of evidence showing current disabilities.,Service connection for respiratory disability, specifically sleep apnea, is remanded as the Veteran contends it was caused by in-service exposure to jet engine exhaust fumes.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, but has remanded them due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran's current conditions are being evaluated again.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that these conditions are related to his active duty service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, finding that his current condition is at least as likely as not related to his military noise exposure. However, the Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to a lack of evidence meeting VA's definition of hearing loss.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, right knee condition, and tinnitus are all granted service connection.,A left knee condition is remanded for further examination to determine if it is related to the Veteran's right knee disability.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to have started during service and has been present since then, meeting the criteria for service connection.

The Veteran's PTSD with anxiety and depression is granted as it was incurred in service.,Tinnitus is denied because it manifested more than one year after separation from service and is not shown to be causally related to an in-service event, injury or disease.

The Board dismissed the appeals on all issues of entitlement to service connection for various conditions due to the death of the appellant.