Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2021

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for an effective date earlier than March 5, 2018 for the grant of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The effective dates were assigned as the date the claims were received or the date entitlement arose, whichever is later.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on the issues of appendix removal, gall bladder removal, vision disorder, body sweats, hearing loss, Meniere’s disease, tinnitus, colon cancer (also claimed as partial colon/intestinal removal), testicular cancer and removal, Barrett's esophagus, right foot peripheral neuropathy, left foot peripheral neuropathy, right hand peripheral neuropathy, left hand peripheral neuropathy, chronic fatigue syndrome, right knee disability, left knee disability, hepatitis C, malaise, neck surgery broken vertebra, sleep apnea, irritable bowel syndrome, subcutaneous cell carcinoma, and an acquired psychiatric disorder have been withdrawn. The remaining issues of service connection for hearing loss, Meniere’s disease, and tinnitus are REMANDED.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for TDIU due to service-connected disabilities, finding that there was no evidence showing he could not secure and follow substantially gainful employment prior to February 11, 2004.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not produce unemployability prior to February 26, 2015. His combined rating was at least 80% from January 9, 2015, and he failed to provide necessary information for a finding of TDIU.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and urinary incontinence, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted TDIU based on the combined rating of his service-connected conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to lack of a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a mouth condition, and a back condition due to new evidence received after the March 2017 SOC.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to incomplete information regarding his service dates and medical opinions addressing the etiology of his claimed disabilities. The claims are related as they all involve issues stemming from the Veteran's military service.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected.,Service connection for hypertension and heart disease are denied. The Veteran's acquired psychiatric condition (to include depression and anxiety) is remanded for further review.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment from December 25, 2013 through September 7, 2017.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities at least as likely as not result in him needing regular aid and attendance of another person, warranting entitlement to special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the possibility of increased severity since his last VA examination, as well as potential service connection.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for erectile dysfunction on a secondary basis to his service-connected hypertension. The rating for coronary artery disease with coronary aneurysms remains at 30 percent, as it does not meet the criteria for higher ratings due to lack of congestive heart failure or left ventricular dysfunction.

The Veteran's service-connected hearing loss and tinnitus have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, meeting the criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's conditions began during his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for otitis media, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus have been granted.,Service connection has been established for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to in-service noise exposure.

The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus, on an extraschedular basis, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are adequately contemplated by the Rating Schedule and there is no evidence of marked interference with employment or frequent periods of hospitalization.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's competent and credible lay evidence is sufficient to establish a nexus between service and tinnitus. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no evidence of in-service noise exposure or current disability within one year of separation from service.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 30 percent for his service-connected perforated tympanic membrane of the left ear with scarring, pain and dizziness has been denied. The maximum schedular rating available under current VA regulations is 30 percent.