Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2021

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that these conditions are related to his in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, while limiting his employment opportunities, do not meet the criteria for a TDIU as they are less than total in severity and he has other employable skills.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to incomplete records, specifically missing annual occupational hearing conservation test results from the Veteran's post-service work. The VA will attempt to obtain these records and provide a new opinion on whether the Veteran's hearing loss is related to his active duty service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's low back disability is related to his active duty service.

The Board has decided that the appellant's claim for veteran status is remanded due to a duty to assist error. The claim will be reconsidered with an adequate VA examination on his bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including lumbar spondylolisthesis, adjustment disorder, left knee strain, tinnitus, and right elbow trauma, are found to render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board grants the TDIU claim.

The Veteran's appeals for higher ratings and earlier effective dates have been dismissed.,The Veteran was granted a TDIU from July 7, 2016.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied effective from May 25, 2013. The Board found that the September 1972 rating decision did not contain CUE with respect to either condition.,The Veteran argued that VA should have inferred a claim of tinnitus in his May 1972 hearing loss claim and that he had a duty to investigate all forms of ear disability affecting the body part or system described. The Board found no evidence of CUE.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, tinnitus, a back disorder, and migraine headaches are all remanded due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there was no evidence of a current disability, and the preponderance of the evidence does not support a nexus between his in-service noise exposure and his current condition. The claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted as the Veteran has reported having constant bilateral tinnitus since 1975, which he contends is related to service noise exposure.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was denied in March 2015, and the effective date of this grant is December 20, 2019.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to obtain or maintain gainful employment, and therefore his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for IBS with duodenal ulcer, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus have been denied.,An effective date earlier than June 13, 2018 for the grant of service connection for these conditions is also denied.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to an inadequate VA examination, and a new one must be conducted.

The Board has remanded the claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to additional delay and need for an addendum opinion regarding the impact of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities on his employment.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and treatment records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, colon cancer, and squamous cell carcinoma due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection and initial rating of his bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, vertigo (dizziness), and right foot disability due to inadequate opinions in previous VA examinations. The Veteran is required to undergo further examination to provide a nexus opinion regarding these conditions.

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 exposure to significant acoustic trauma while serving in combat in Vietnam.