Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2020

The Board has decided to remand the case due to inadequate medical opinions and needs further examination.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than May 10, 2018 for the grant of service connection for PTSD is granted.,The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than May 10, 2018 for the grant of service connection for tinnitus is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including Parkinson's disease and related tremors, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since January 22, 2018.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment prior to February 24, 2011.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation consistent with his education and work history, leading to the grant of a total disability rating for compensation based on unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and bilateral recurrent tinnitus are service-connected, with the benefit of doubt given to the claimant.

The Board has remanded the cases for obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to address bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus. The case of hypertension, which is presumed due to herbicide exposure, is remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's initial disability rating of 70 percent for service-connected PTSD is granted, effective November 16, 2017. The RO also granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus with an effective date of November 16, 2017.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus has been reopened and granted. The Board also found that the Veteran's vertigo and headaches are related to his in-service noise exposure, including from tinnitus.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, vision loss, bilateral knee disabilities, and lumbar spine disability. The conditions are considered to be directly related to the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for acquired psychiatric disorder and tinnitus has been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claims, and that there was no causal relationship between current symptoms and military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to in-service noise exposure. The VA examiner’s opinion is inadequate, and additional opinions are needed to determine if the Veteran's current disabilities are related to his military service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, and the Board has found that new and material evidence has been presented to reopen his claims of bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, tinnitus, PTSD, multiple sclerosis, and thoracolumbar spine disorder. The left wrist disorder claim is still pending.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to his in-service noise exposure. However, it denied service connection for left ear hearing loss, concluding that there was no evidence of aggravation during service.

The Veteran's claims for GERD, PTSD, erectile dysfunction, and tinnitus have been reopened. Service connection has been granted for PTSD, erectile dysfunction as secondary to PTSD, and special monthly compensation for loss of use of a creative organ. Tinnitus is found to be etiologically related to in-service noise exposure.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and depressive disorder on a secondary basis to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for TDIU, finding that his service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus did not render him incapable of performing the physical and mental acts required by employment.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's claims, including hearing loss, tinnitus, hypertension, and peripheral neuropathy. The VA is instructed to obtain Social Security Administration records and provide an addendum medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran’s hypertension and bilateral lower extremity peripheral neuropathy.