Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2022

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease, ischemic heart disease, PTSD with alcohol use disorder, shrapnel wound of the left upper extremity, and tinnitus, rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation during the appeal period from August 15, 2018 to August 8, 2019. As such, TDIU was granted for this period.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are service-connected as they manifested within one year of his separation from service and are not attributable to intercurrent causes.

The Veteran's tinnitus, psychiatric disability, and bilateral hearing loss are all rated at their maximum levels. The Board has remanded the cases for further development to obtain treatment records from a Vet Center.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not result in an inability to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment prior to April 27, 2022. The Board found the Veteran's statements regarding his employment history lacking credibility.

The Veteran's spouse, D.C., is the caregiver and has been assessed for personal care services needs. The Veteran currently requires assistance with activities of daily living such as dressing, grooming, toileting, and mobility. However, the claim was remanded due to a lack of completed caregiver training within 90 days from the application date.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus. The Veteran's claims for left shoulder disability, OSA, headache disability (including as secondary to PTSD), left ankle disability, and left ear hearing loss are remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and records.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and he is also eligible for special monthly compensation due to his disabilities. The TDIU was granted effective from December 2, 2011, and the SMC housebound was granted effective from August 1, 2017.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to the need for updated treatment records and a VA examination. The earlier effective date claim for tinnitus service connection is not granted, and the increased evaluation and compensable hearing loss evaluations are also not granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are remanded due to the need for additional examinations and consideration of new evidence.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and an addendum opinion to address whether the Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus are related to military service, including as due to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's claims for higher ratings for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as earlier effective dates for service connection, were denied.,An initial rating of 10 percent was assigned for both conditions, with the effective date set at April 7, 2021.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, but remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to inadequate VA examination and conflicting medical opinions.

The Veteran's PTSD claim is denied as there is no current diagnosis of PTSD or any other psychiatric disorder for VA compensation purposes.,The Veteran's lower back disability claim is denied as the evidence does not support a finding that his current condition began during active service or is related to an in-service injury or disease.,The Veteran's hearing loss claim is denied as there are no significant changes in hearing thresholds shown in the records and the Veteran did not report any complaints of tinnitus until after military service.,The Veteran's tinnitus claim is denied as there was no record of complaint or treatment for tinnitus during active service, and the Board finds that it is more likely related to post-military events.,The Veteran's right knee disability claim is denied as his current condition does not appear to be related to an in-service injury or disease. The remanded issues of bilateral shoulder conditions will impact this decision.,The Veteran's right shoulder condition and left shoulder condition claims are both remanded for further examination and opinion regarding the etiology of these disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of tinnitus and therefore denied service connection for this condition. The issue of service connection for residuals of a head injury is remanded due to insufficient medical opinion.

The Board has remanded the case for further development of records, including service treatment and personnel records. The character of discharge issue is intertwined with the claims for PTSD, hearing loss, and tinnitus.

The Board has determined that the appellant's service-connected disabilities prevented him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment since February 1, 2018.

The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to service connection for chronic residuals of pneumonia, right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, tinnitus, head injury, and cervical strain due to incomplete documentation in the Veteran's notice of disagreement.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bipolar I disorder, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss have been granted with effective dates of July 11, 2013.,However, the Veteran is seeking an earlier effective date for these grants. The Board finds that the proper effective date cannot be earlier than July 11, 2013.

The Board has decided that the earlier effective dates for service connection of various disabilities are remanded due to incomplete documentation regarding scheduling of VA examinations.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is denied because his sole service-connected disability (tinnitus) does not meet the minimum percentage criteria for a TDIU, and there is no evidence that he is unemployable due to this condition.