Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2020

The Veteran's claim for TDIU prior to August 27, 2012 was denied as he did not meet the schedular requirements for a TDIU. The effective date for DEA benefits under Chapter 35, Title 38, United States Code was also denied due to lack of basic eligibility.

The claim for an initial compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to December 26, 2019 is denied.,The claim for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent from December 26, 2019 is denied.,The claim for service connection for a skin disability is remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to inadequate medical opinions in the previous VA examination. The Veteran's lay statements regarding the onset and continuity of his symptoms are not considered, and additional medical opinions are needed.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU was denied as he did not meet the schedular criteria and there is no evidence of unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for neuroendocrine cancer, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, gynecomastia, cognitive impairment, and a gastrointestinal disorder due to in-service herbicide agent exposure. Additional development is required as an addendum opinion from a VA examiner is needed.

The Board has remanded the cases for readjudication due to new evidence added by VA, and the Veteran was not given an opportunity to waive initial RO consideration.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for GERD was granted, as new evidence supports the reopening of his previously denied claim.,Service connection for ankle, foot, knee, hip and hand pain (claimed as muscular and movement pains) is granted due to the submission of new evidence.

The Board denied service connection for COPD, bilateral hearing loss disability, tinnitus, lumbar spine disorder with lower extremity radiculopathy, and cervical spine disorder with upper extremity radiculopathy as the evidence did not support a link to service.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as there was no evidence of a nexus between the conditions and active duty service.

The Board has determined that the evidence is not in favor of service connection for a back disability, right knee disability, bilateral eye condition, bilateral hearing loss disability, or tinnitus.,VA will need to obtain additional medical records and possibly conduct further examinations to determine if there are any connections between the appellant's current disabilities and his military service.

The Veteran seeks increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.,Service connection for ischemic heart disease was denied as there is no evidence of its occurrence during service or continuity of symptomatology.

The Veteran's tinnitus and scar on the right thigh have been granted service connection, with a 10% rating for the scar.

The Board has granted a TDIU on an extraschedular basis as of February 8, 2007 due to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities making it impossible for him to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for TDIU due to service-connected disabilities, finding that his employment history and medical evidence did not support a conclusion that he was unemployable.

The Board has remanded the claim for further development due to incomplete information regarding the Veteran's education and work experience, particularly during the period relevant to the TDIU claim. The appellant is asked to provide a detailed statement of the Veteran’s business activities and income from these activities in each year between 2008 and 2014.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted. The right knee pain and acquired psychiatric condition are related to her service-connected back, left knee, and right hip disabilities. Tinnitus is presumed due to in-service noise exposure. Bilateral hearing loss has not been established as a disability.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for prostate cancer residuals is denied as the evidence does not show that he requires an appliance or absorbent materials requiring change more than four times per day.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are remanded due to inadequate examination findings.

The Veteran's claims for increased PTSD rating and TDIU are being remanded due to the need to obtain SSA disability records, which may be relevant to his mental health condition and employment status.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to lack of specific issues identified in his notice of disagreement and subsequent clarification. The claims are now pending, with a focus on verifying herbicide agent exposure, obtaining medical records, and scheduling VA examinations.