Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2020

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was reopened and granted. The Veteran's irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is now rated at 30 percent, effective July 24, 2012. Service connection for PTSD remains denied, but an earlier effective date of July 24, 2012 has been granted.,The Veteran's IBS was found to be severe and manifested by diarrhea with more or less constant abdominal distress. The earlier effective dates for both irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and PTSD have been granted.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, but remanded the issues of bilateral hearing loss, bilateral eye disability, and bilateral lower extremity neuropathy due to lack of nexus opinions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and PTSD, have prevented him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment consistent with his educational and vocational experience.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have been found to meet the criteria for Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) based on aid and attendance, as he requires regular assistance due to his cognitive impairments and physical limitations. The Board has also determined that SMC T is not warranted given the Veteran's condition does not require higher level care.

The RO increased the ratings for several conditions and granted service connection, but denied the request to apply the bilateral factor. The Veteran's combined rating is now 90 percent.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the timing and nature of his exposure to herbicides, as well as incomplete treatment records. The AOJ is instructed to verify proximity to Vietnam and obtain pertinent VA treatment records.

The appeal is dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.

The Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are granted as service connected. The claim for lumbar stenosis with disc herniation is granted, but the rating assigned and effective date have not been determined.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities are related to in-service noise exposure.,Service connection was also granted for coronary artery disease (CAD) and prostate cancer due to herbicide agent exposure.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for TBI and PTSD is denied. The claims for tinnitus, respiratory disorder, and bilateral hearing loss are granted on a presumptive basis due to in-service noise exposure.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities. The remand includes obtaining clarification on the use of the Maryland CNC word list in the audiological evaluations, as well as a vocational expert opinion assessing the Veteran's employability given his hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran's service connection claims for hearing loss, tinnitus, and a back disorder have been denied as there is no evidence of in-service injury or disease that caused these conditions.,Service connection was not granted because the VA audiologist and otolaryngologist found that the Veteran’s hearing loss and tinnitus are less likely than not related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran failed to attend his scheduled VA examinations and has provided good cause for missing them. As such, new VA examinations are necessary to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him in need of regular aid and attendance, which was granted for special monthly compensation based on the need for aid and attendance.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted. The claim for service connection for peripheral neuropathy, secondary to diabetes mellitus, is remanded.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain an addendum medical opinion regarding the Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus. The current rating for diabetes mellitus type II remains unchanged.

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

The Veteran's claims for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, diabetes mellitus type II, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma have been reopened. Service connection has been granted for tinnitus.

The Veteran's tinnitus is rated at the maximum allowed under VA guidelines, and his hearing loss claim requires further examination to determine if service connection should be granted.