Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2021

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence of a current disability related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran is not unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected CAD prior to July 19, 2019.

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

The Board has determined that the Veteran is entitled to TDIU from June 5, 2018, to October 1, 2018, due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including sleep apnea, ADHD, and multiple musculoskeletal conditions, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board has decided to remand the cases of service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus due to incomplete medical opinions and apparent contradictions in a previous study.

The Veteran's service connection claim for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss is granted. The TDIU rating claim is also granted as the Veteran meets the minimal schedular criteria with his current heart condition.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including paramyoclonus multiplex with tonic-clonic seizures, have rendered him unemployable since June 3, 2019. TDIU is granted effective that date.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and tinnitus, rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment prior to December 31, 2014. The Board granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) on an extraschedular basis for this period.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's tinnitus began during service and granted service connection. The hearing loss claim is remanded for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU on an extraschedular basis prior to March 30, 2016, finding that his service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment since May 31, 2017. The Board has granted a TDIU from that date onward but has remanded the issue of whether he was unemployable prior to May 31, 2017 for further review.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence was received to reopen the claim of service connection for tinnitus. The Veteran's testimony and VA treatment records support his contention that he experienced tinnitus during active service, which is considered a direct service connection case.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered her unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment, and the Board has granted a TDIU.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for back disability, neck disability, right knee disability, left knee disability, and nasal disability (deviated septum) due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's periods of active duty, ACDUTRA, and INACDUTRA. The VA examiner will provide opinions on whether these disabilities are related to service or aggravated by any period of ACDUTRA/INACDUTRA.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable disability rating for hypertension prior to December 31, 2015 and service connection for hepatitis B has been dismissed.,The Veteran's appeal for service connection for tinnitus has been granted. The Board acknowledges the Veteran’s in-service noise exposure but notes that his hearing was within normal limits while in service and inconsistent reports of tinnitus.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU effective from June 1, 2010 due to his service-connected disabilities. Prior to that date, the criteria for a TDIU were not met.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and eye conditions, have prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment since June 25, 2013.

The Board has remanded the case to the Director of Compensation for consideration of a TDIU on an extraschedular basis due to service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU, and referral for extraschedular consideration is not warranted as his employment issues are due to nonservice-connected factors.