Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2020

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including obstructive sleep apnea and thoracolumbar spine levoscoliosis curve, have rendered him unable to engage in substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied service connection for TMJ with bruxism as the evidence did not establish a current disability, and service connection was denied for sleep disorder and joint pain secondary to exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.,Service connection was granted for bilateral hearing loss but remanded due to insufficient readjudication of the claim.

The Veteran's claims for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss were denied due to lack of evidence prior to the effective dates.,No service connection was granted, as no PTSD claim was addressed.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, lumbar spine disability, hepatitis C, and headaches due to incomplete records. The Veteran's service connection claims are pending.

Service connection for tinnitus is granted. Service connection for perianal hydradenitis (claimed as cystic acne on the buttocks) is remanded.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied as they did not onset during or within one year of service, nor are they related to an injury, disease, or event in service. The Board found that the Veteran's current hearing loss disability is less likely due to noise exposure in service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to inadequate medical opinions provided in previous examinations.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (prostate cancer residuals, PTSD, diabetes mellitus, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus) have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since July 30, 2012.

The Board has found the VA medical opinion inadequate for adjudicative purposes and remanded the claims due to lack of substantial compliance with its prior remand.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have caused them to require the regular aid and attendance of another person, which is granted for special monthly compensation based on need for regular aid and attendance (SMC A&A) effective November 1, 2013.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to in-service noise exposure during his time in Vietnam.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU, finding that his service-connected disabilities have not precluded him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are remanded for further examination to determine their etiology.,The Veteran's sleep apnea is remanded for a VA examination to determine its relationship to his service-connected PTSD.,The Veteran's hypertension and colon polyps are remanded due to the need for additional medical evidence regarding herbicide exposure.,The Veteran's GERD, Barrett’s esophagus, gall bladder removal, left foot disability, right foot disability, eye disability (diabetic retinopathy), and kidney stones are remanded for a VA examination to determine their relationship to his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, lumbar spine disability, and tinnitus are all found to be due to his active service. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for tinnitus is denied as the disability already has the maximum permissible schedular rating.,Service connection for hearing loss is denied because there is no current evidence of a ratable hearing loss disability according to VA standards.,An effective date earlier than December 6, 2011 for the grant of service connection for tinnitus is denied as the Veteran did not submit a claim until that date.,The Veteran's right-hand condition is currently rated at the maximum allowed and no higher rating is granted.,Service connection for a left-hand condition, mental condition, headaches, or hepatitis is denied based on lack of evidence supporting these conditions during service or since then.,Headaches are not service-connected.,Hepatitis is not service-connected.

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

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to have started immediately after service and has continued since, meeting the criteria for service connection.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as these conditions may be related to service despite normal audiograms at separation.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, warranting a TDIU on an extraschedular basis.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's TDIU claim due to insufficient compliance with previous directives. The case is now back with the RO for further development, including obtaining a clarifying opinion from Dr. Mughni and assessing whether the Veteran can secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities and medication side effects.