Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2020

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The rating for tinnitus was not granted, the rating for bilateral hearing loss was not granted in excess of 40 percent, and the rating for a left knee disability was not granted in excess of 30 percent. Service connection for gout of the left ankle, right ankle, and left toe was also denied.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to lack of medical evidence supporting a nexus between current hearing loss and in-service noise exposure.

The Board has remanded the cases for further action due to procedural errors and the need for additional examinations.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus for further examination and opinion due to the need for additional medical evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and shoulder conditions, did not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to February 12, 2020. His combined rating was at least 60% from August 19, 2009 through January 18, 2020.

The Board denied a total disability based on individual unemployability prior to March 30, 2007 and also denied an earlier effective date for the award of TDIU prior to that date. The decision is based on the Veteran's full-time employment during the appeal period.

The Veteran is denied service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability due to lack of current evidence meeting VA criteria.,Service connection granted for tinnitus, with the Board finding it at least as likely as not that the condition had its onset during ACDUTRA.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for TDIU as his service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from obtaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to obtain or maintain gainful employment, and his TDIU claim is denied.

The Board has remanded the claims for entitlement to service connection for the cause of death and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) due to additional development being needed. The Veteran died from cardiac arrest due to atherosclerosis with pleural effusion as a significant condition contributing to death.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for further review of the Veteran's claim for TDIU (total disability based upon individual unemployability) as a result of his service-connected disabilities, including pleural plaques and degenerative arthritis of the spine.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's diabetes mellitus type II is rated at 20 percent, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted due to lack of use of insulin or hospitalizations.,The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss does not meet the criteria for a compensable disability rating under VA regulations.,The Veteran has been granted service connection for tinnitus and obstructive sleep apnea. The Board remanded these issues as there are questions about their onset in service.,Service connection was established for hypertension, left knee disability, right knee disability, skin fungus (tinea pedis), and skin cancer (basal cell carcinoma).,The Veteran's gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD) is not yet service connected.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and hearing loss due to a lack of VA examination attendance.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted. The Board found that the evidence was in equipoise on whether the current hearing loss and tinnitus were caused by noise exposure during military service.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been submitted to warrant readjudication of the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The claims are being remanded due to a lack of VA examination for hypertension.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease, PTSD, and peripheral neuropathies, prevented him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment from August 12, 2015, to February 6, 2019. As a result, the Board granted a TDIU during this period.

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

The Board has denied service connection for tinnitus and remanded the issue of a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus had its onset during service and is related to his in-service noise exposure, granting service connection for tinnitus.