Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2021

The Board denied service connection for obstructive sleep apnea and remanded the issue of service connection for tinnitus.

The Board has denied service connection for a right ear hearing loss disability and tinnitus, but has remanded the issue of service connection for residuals of a respiratory disability.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded for further review, as the Board cannot grant a TDIU on an extraschedular basis prior to June 2, 2014. The case will be referred to the Director of Compensation Service for consideration.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran did not have these conditions during or within one year after his military service. The evidence does not support a claim of continuity of symptoms since service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, major depressive disorder (MDD), and migraine headaches. The claims were reopened based on new evidence submitted since the previous denials.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to missing documents from his claims file, including his service treatment records. An addendum opinion is needed from an audiologist to address the Veteran's in-service noise exposure.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his in-service noise exposure. The issues of service connection for toe fungus have been remanded.

The Veteran's claim for increased disability ratings and TDIU on an extraschedular basis is being remanded due to incomplete development. The case will be further developed to determine the appropriate rating for his service-connected conditions, including hearing loss and left leg post-phlebitic syndrome.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unemployable, and a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) on an extraschedular basis prior to November 8, 2016 is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment, thus granting a TDIU effective January 28, 2013.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for tinnitus, lumbar myositis (back condition), and left lower extremity radiculopathy associated with lumbar myositis due to incomplete personnel records and insufficient information regarding the severity of his conditions. The Veteran will need to provide legible DD-214 and other personnel records, and an additional VA examination is required.

The Veteran's tinnitus, which began during service and has been recurrent since then, is found to have its onset in service. Service connection for tinnitus is granted.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as incurred in service, while his bilateral hearing loss and COPD are denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a right knee disability and tinnitus have been reopened. The Board has determined that new evidence supports reopening the claims, but the cases are still pending as they need to be remanded for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his military service due to exposure to noise without proper protection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected PTSD, hearing loss, tinnitus, and pleural plaques have left him in need of regular aid and attendance due to his cognitive impairment caused by PTSD. The decision grants special monthly compensation based on this need.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus) do not meet the minimum threshold criteria for a TDIU, as they only amount to a combined rating of 20 percent. The Board finds that there is no indication that these disabilities prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient consideration of the Veteran's occupational history and functional impact of his service-connected conditions. Additional evidence is needed, including an addendum medical opinion on the effects of PTSD on employment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's rehabilitation plan and vocational rehabilitation services need to be reviewed due to her request for a change in her long-term goal from obtaining an engineering degree to pursuing a medical doctorate. The discontinuance of her VR&E services was also challenged, and both issues are being remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran was granted service connection for tinnitus, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability. The decision found that the Veteran did not have a current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss disability and that there was no evidence linking his tinnitus to in-service noise exposure.