Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2020

The Board has determined that additional development is needed in order to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection and rating of GERD, knee disabilities, and tinnitus. The claims are being remanded.

The Board has remanded the cases of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus for further development due to an oversight in the examination report.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, and chronic kidney disease due to procedural issues and the need for additional medical opinions.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions did not meet the criteria for service connection due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.,For bilateral hearing loss, the Board found no significant change in hearing sensitivity during service, and there was no nexus between the Veteran's current condition and his military service. For tinnitus, the Board noted a 24-year gap between service separation and onset, and found no evidence of noise exposure causing the condition.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for PTSD prior to August 7, 2019 was granted with a 50 percent disability rating. The appeal for a higher rating from August 7, 2019 and the TDIU claim were both denied.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to inadequate explanation in the March 2018 VA examination report regarding the Veteran's tinnitus and the significance of a 15-decibel difference between his enlistment and separation audiograms.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for pulmonary tuberculosis, depression, acquired psychiatric disorder (including depression and anxiety), and tinnitus. The decision found that new evidence did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate these claims.

The Board has remanded the case for referral to the Director, Compensation Service, for a determination under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(b) regarding entitlement to a TDIU prior to May 20, 1999, on an extraschedular basis.

The Board denied service connection for vertigo, right hand disability (Dupuytren's contractures), tinnitus, and skin disability due to the lack of evidence of a current disability or in-service disease/injury.,Service connection was not granted as there is no credible evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to their death during the appeal process.

The Board has decided that the claim for service connection for hearing loss, to include as secondary to service-connected tinnitus, is remanded due to inadequate reasoning in a previous VA opinion.

The Veteran is eligible for a certificate of eligibility for specially adapted housing due to his service-connected disabilities that preclude locomotion without the aid of braces, canes and/or a wheelchair.,The Veteran's service-connected disabilities require regular aid and attendance, warranting special monthly compensation based on the need for the aid and attendance of another person.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities are granted as they are related to active service.

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

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU as his service-connected disabilities have not rendered him incapable of securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has granted the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that these conditions are at least as likely as not related to acoustic trauma sustained during active service. The appeal is dismissed due to withdrawal of the claim for right eye blindness.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including lumbosacral spine strain and degenerative disease, right lower extremity radiculopathy, left lower extremity radiculopathy, right knee meniscectomy residuals, right knee patellofemoral syndrome, right knee recurrent subluxation, left knee patellofemoral syndrome, tinnitus, and other conditions, make him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for TDIU.

The Board denied service connection for left-hand finger condition, right-hand finger condition, and adenoid/tonsil removal condition. Service connection was granted for asthma.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's VR&E services request should be remanded due to incomplete records and need for a new vocational rehabilitation evaluation considering her current symptomatology.