Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2020

The Veteran's appeal for tinnitus was dismissed due to his death, and the appeal does not survive.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his respiratory failure was not caused by or related to his active duty service, nor were his service-connected disabilities a contributing factor.

The appeal to reopen the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, ED, and headaches is granted. The appeals to reopen the claim of service connection for a psychiatric disability (to include depression and PTSD), hypertension, and sleep apnea are also granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment. The Board denied the claim for a TDIU as his disabilities did not meet the regulatory schedular rating requirements of 38 C.F.R. § 4.16 (a).

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including left ankle degenerative joint disease, right hip replacement, lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis and intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS), painful surgical scar due to hip replacement, lumbar radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities, and tinnitus, have prevented him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to inadequate examination and failure to obtain an addendum opinion.

The Board denied service connection for a bilateral foot disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The decision found no evidence of an in-service injury or disease that caused these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a new VA examination to assess the severity of the service-connected left foot injury and associated ankle disability. The issues include entitlement to increased evaluations for the left foot injury, service connection for BHL and tinnitus, and TDIU.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for special monthly compensation based on the need for aid and attendance or housebound status due to his stroke residuals, which are not related to his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, coronary artery disease, lumbar spine DDD, peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities, and tinnitus, have precluded him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation consistent with his education and work experience.

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

The Veteran's claim for VR&E services, including additional education to pursue a career as a professor or school counselor, is remanded due to the need for a new vocational rehabilitation evaluation considering his current symptomatology and service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied due to her failure to report for scheduled VA examinations. The Board has determined that these matters must be remanded to reschedule the examinations.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bacterial infection, tinnitus, and posttraumatic stress disorder. The Veteran does not have diagnoses for these claimed disorders.

The Board has denied service connection for a back disability, bilateral sensorineural hearing loss disability, tinnitus, and impotence claimed as erectile dysfunction due to lack of current diagnoses. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disability is remanded due to the need for additional mental health treatment records.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's chronic tinnitus since service is related to his military service as a dental specialist.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the case for further development regarding bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus because the submitted evidence was not new and relevant. The Veteran had a high probability of noise exposure during his military service, but there is no new evidence that tends to prove or disprove an etiological relationship between his conditions and service.

The Veteran's TDIU was granted with an effective date of March 31, 2017. The Board found that the increase in disability occurred on this date due to his service-connected back pain.

The Board has remanded several issues related to service connection, including for erectile dysfunction, sleep apnea, and a headache disorder. The effective dates for the grants of service connection are not specified as they are pending.