Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2021

Service connection is granted for tinnitus. The case of bilateral hearing loss is remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to in-service noise exposure. A new VA examination is needed to determine if these conditions are related to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, and tinnitus due to lack of evidence showing a nexus between the conditions and active duty service.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, granted service connection for tinnitus, and denied service connection for vertigo (claimed as secondary to bilateral hearing loss).

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left ear sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus due to a need for new nexus opinions addressing in-service noise exposure, including from the 2006 Institute of Medicine report on delayed-onset hearing loss and the Veteran's own study related to tinnitus.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The Board found no current respiratory disability, hearing loss of the right ear, or right ankle disability. The Veteran also did not have a current acquired psychiatric disorder, left knee disability, right knee disability, tinnitus, right index finger metacarpal fracture, left ear hearing loss disability, positive tuberculosis skin test, hypertension, hemorrhoids, scars of the right knee, left ankle, and tailbone, or hidradenitis suppurativa. The Veteran's TBI claim was granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation between May 30, 2003 and February 14, 2005. A TDIU rating is granted on an extraschedular basis for this period.

The Veteran's combined disability rating (bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus) is less than 30 percent, which means he does not meet the requirement for special monthly compensation based on his spouse needing aid and attendance.

The Board has not provided a proper opinion regarding whether the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is at least as likely as not caused or aggravated by service-connected tinnitus. The case is therefore remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus for further development, including obtaining an addendum VA medical opinion regarding whether these conditions are at least as likely as not related to service exposure.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to in-service noise exposure. The case is being returned for further evaluation.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have prevented him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation since May 12, 2014. The Board has granted the TDIU claim with this effective date.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is at least as likely as not related to his active service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

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

The Board dismissed the appeals for tinnitus and pulmonary fibrosis as the Veteran died before a decision could be made.

The Board has decided that the claim for service connection for hearing loss, as secondary to service-connected tinnitus, needs further development and is therefore remanded.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service-connected. The Board found the evidence in equipoise, favoring the Veteran's claims for these conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to lack of evidence linking his current disabilities to military service, including herbicide agent exposure. The Veteran was found not to meet the criteria for TDIU as he had multiple service-connected disabilities rated at 90% combined.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a chronic throat disability have been dismissed due to the Veteran's request to withdraw his appeal.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to have had their onset in service.,There is no evidence of a current gout disability or functional impairment due to gout.