Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2021

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, ischemic heart disease, tinnitus, and malaria residuals, are found to be of such nature and severity as to preclude his participation in any regular substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and occupational experience.

The Veteran's major depressive disorder began in service and continues to persist. The Board has granted service connection for this condition. Other skin, diabetes, eye, erectile dysfunction, hypertension, bone loss, tinnitus, kidney, gallbladder, appendix tumor, rectal bleeding, headache, right leg nerve damage, left leg disability, sinusitis, and multi-site arthritis disabilities are remanded for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus. The cases of thyroid disease, bladder cancer, cervical spine disability, sleep apnea, and bilateral hearing loss are remanded.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, finding that his current condition is related to in-service acoustic trauma exposure. The decision also reopened a previously denied claim.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral tinnitus is being remanded due to a recent Court decision highlighting inconsistencies in the IOM study regarding delayed onset hearing loss. The Board finds the October 2013 VA examiner's opinion inadequate and requires an addendum opinion.

The Veteran's spouse was recognized as a dependent on his disability compensation award effective March 23, 2018. The Board granted an earlier effective date of March 1, 2007 for the addition of the spouse to the Veteran's award.

The overpayment resulting from VA's payment of additional attorney fees to the Veteran's Representative is granted, but only for the portion related to past due benefits based on the service-connected psychiatric disorder during the period of incarceration.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the current disabilities are at least as likely as not related to the appellant's military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral plantar fasciitis, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, right hand condition (including carpal tunnel syndrome), and sleep apnea due to issues with the evidence considered and need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to insufficient reasoning in the original decision, specifically regarding delayed onset hearing loss and late-onset noise-induced tinnitus.

The Veteran withdrew her appeals for service connection of a respiratory disorder, bilateral foot disorder (bilateral plantar fasciitis), and bilateral hip disorder. The appeal for service connection of tinnitus has been granted.,The Board remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral foot disorder (bilateral plantar fasciitis) due to insufficient medical evidence.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, finding that there is at least a 50% likelihood that these conditions are related to his in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not include any back or knee conditions, nor does he have a skin condition due to a service-connected disability. Therefore, clothing allowances for the benefit year 2019 are denied.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation based on the need for aid and attendance has been granted. The housebound claim is dismissed due to the grant of SMC by reason of regular need for aid and attendance. The claims for increased evaluations for coronary artery disease and left knee arthroscopy are remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to incomplete examination and lack of consideration of submitted medical articles.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted, as the evidence is in equipoise regarding whether it was incurred during service.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied because there is no medical evidence showing a significant threshold shift beyond normal variability while in service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for TDIU on an extraschedular basis prior to December 4, 2019, finding that his service-connected disabilities alone did not prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

Service connection for tinnitus is granted.,Service connection for ischemic heart disease due to herbicide agent exposure is granted on a presumptive basis.,Service connection for lung cancer is denied as not related to herbicide agent exposure.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection have been dismissed due to the appellant's withdrawal of these claims.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted. The Board found that the current disabilities are related to noise exposure during his military service.