Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2020

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and remanded the claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD) and a neurological disorder (including Bell's palsy).

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

The Board has remanded the cases for additional development due to outstanding VA treatment records and a need for further examinations. The Veteran's claims of service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and PTSD are pending.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to missing service personnel records and treatment records, as well as the need for new VA examinations and opinions regarding her tinnitus, right shoulder condition, bilateral foot condition, and respiratory condition.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for respiratory and central neurological disabilities were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of service connection due to lack of medical nexus opinions linking current conditions to military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a lumbar spine disorder was granted, and he is now entitled to the full rating of 10 percent.,Tinnitus has been rated at 10 percent since December 29, 2016. The Veteran requested an increase in his tinnitus rating but withdrew this issue during the hearing.

The Veteran was granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) on an extraschedular basis effective May 26, 2010. The decision found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to this date.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities, finding that his service-connected conditions did not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to have started during his active duty service and has continued since then, allowing for the grant of service connection.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, finding that there is no credible evidence linking his current tinnitus to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal for eligibility for specially adapted housing and special home adaptation grant was denied as he does not meet the criteria for either benefit due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petitions to reopen his claims for service connection for right shoulder disability, acquired mental health disorder (PTSD), other specified trauma and stressor related disorder (stressor disorder), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and tinnitus. The issues of entitlement to service connection for these conditions have been remanded.

The Veteran's current bilateral tinnitus is found to be related to his active service, and the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to a lack of adequate opinion regarding whether his conditions are related to service, specifically given the combat presumption under 38 U.S.C. § 1154(b).

Service connection for tinnitus is granted. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding active military service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's reported exposure to loud noise during service is sufficient evidence of a nexus between his current condition and his military service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence of in-service injury or disease related to these conditions.