Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2021

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether these conditions are related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for headaches, to include as due to an undiagnosed illness. The Veteran's tension headaches are secondary to his service-connected psychological disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but remanded the issue of service connection for back strain due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings were denied. The Board found no new and material evidence to reopen the hearing loss and tinnitus claims, granted a 20% rating for peripheral neuropathy in both lower extremities (sciatic nerve), but discontinued separate ratings for femoral nerves due to pyramiding. Service connection was not established for upper extremity peripheral neuropathy.

The Board has remanded several issues related to the Veteran's service connection claims, including for a right hand disability, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, erectile dysfunction, cervical spine disability, and prostate disability. The case is being returned to the RO for additional development.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim, as her character of service discharge from Other Than Honorable to Honorable, removing a statutory bar to VA benefits.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for hypertension and granted service connection for tinnitus. The claims for service connection for right ankle arthritis (secondary to service-connected right ankle disability) and bilateral hearing loss are remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left-ear hearing loss, tinnitus, and depression due to a lack of proper treatment at a VA medical center in 2011. The case will be further developed and reviewed.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to outstanding VA and private treatment records, as well as a need for additional medical opinions regarding his low back disability, hearing loss, tinnitus, acid reflux, chronic cough, and heart disability.

The Veteran's tinnitus and major depressive disorder have been granted service connection. The Board has also remanded several issues related to his lower extremities, lumbar spine, ankles, feet, and kidneys due to the need for further medical examination.

The Veteran's tinnitus is related to his active service and the Board granted service connection for this condition.

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

The Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and Hepatitis C have been dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a respiratory disorder, including left upper lobe granulomatous infection with pulmonary nodule, was reopened and granted effective June 20, 2013. An effective date of June 20, 2013, but no earlier, is assigned for the award of service connection. The Veteran's claim for TDIU prior to April 15, 2008 remains denied.

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

The Veteran was granted a TDIU rating from October 31, 2014 onwards due to her service-connected disabilities preventing her from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment. Prior to this date, the criteria for a TDIU were not met.

The Board has denied service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the conditions did not have their onset within one year after separation from service or are otherwise unrelated to military service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted service connection. The Veteran's dry eyes, vision impairment, left knee condition, left ankle condition, right ankle condition, and hemorrhoids have been dismissed from the appeal.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was denied as there is no evidence of current tinnitus or continuity of symptoms since service.,The Veteran's claim for a higher rate of SMC beyond P-1 was denied due to lack of need for aid and attendance from another person.,The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to April 10, 2015 for the award of SMC for loss of use of bilateral lower extremities was denied as there is no evidence that his disabilities manifested prior to this date.