Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2021

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral pes planus with right first metatarsophalangeal joint traumatic arthritis, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and other conditions, are severe enough to prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a total rating for compensation purposes based on individual unemployability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (PTSD, diabetes mellitus, and tinnitus) do not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for financial assistance for automobile or other conveyance and adaptive equipment, as they do not result in loss of use of a hand or foot, permanent impairment of both eyes, severe burn injury, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ankylosis of a knee or hip.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, alone, do not preclude all substantially gainful employment for which his education and occupational experience would otherwise qualify him. The Board denied the claim of entitlement to a total disability based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not related to in-service noise exposure.

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

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability (previously characterized as sciatica) has been reopened, and the case is being remanded to further develop evidence related to his Army Reserve and National Guard service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service-connected, with the evidence being in equipoise regarding their onset during active duty.

Your appeals for service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss have been dismissed as the appellant has withdrawn them.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate reasons and bases in its May 2019 decision, which relied on an April 2017 VA medical examination. The examiner's opinion was based on a 2006 Institute of Medicine (IOM) report that found no sufficient basis for delayed-onset hearing loss.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection, and his PTSD rating is increased to 70%. Other issues remain pending.

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

The Board has dismissed the appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and peptic ulcer as the appellant withdrew his appeal.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for hearing loss and tinnitus due to inadequate examination in determining their etiology.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and bladder cancer have been granted. However, the claim for service connection for a prostate condition has been dismissed due to withdrawal by the Veteran.,Service connection is established for bilateral hearing loss and erectile dysfunction based on presumptive exposure to herbicide agents in Vietnam.

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

The Veteran's appeals have been withdrawn or dismissed. The Board has found that the Veteran's PTSD, urinary incontinence, and degenerative joint disease of the thoracolumbar spine meet the criteria for increased ratings but requires further development before these claims can be adjudicated.

The Veteran was granted TDIU from January 3, 2019 to August 1, 2019 due to his service-connected disabilities. The Board found the Veteran unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment due to his coronary artery disease. However, the Veteran's combined disability rating after August 1, 2019 did not meet the criteria for TDIU under the schedular requirements.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a right hand injury is granted as the evidence supports that he incurred such an injury during ACDUTRA or INACDUTRA and continues to have residual symptoms.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied because there is no current disability meeting VA criteria. The Veteran reported noise exposure in service, but his audiometric test results did not indicate a hearing loss disability at any time during service or within one year of separation.,The Veteran's claim for tinnitus is granted as he has provided credible testimony regarding the onset and persistence of symptoms during active duty.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran was exposed to hazardous noise in service and that his current conditions are at least as likely as not related to this exposure.