Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2022

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was reopened and granted. Service connection is also granted for tinnitus. However, the claims for other conditions including CTS, psychiatric disorders, DMII, arthritis, kidney disorder, peripheral neuropathy, eye disorder, foot disorder, skin rash, and ED were denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities on an extraschedular basis, finding that his service-connected conditions did not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to outstanding medical questions and the need for additional examinations.

The Veteran's bilateral tinnitus disability is found to have begun during active service and continues today, meeting the criteria for service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, as his combined rating is at least 70%.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine if his tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and low back disability are related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have not been shown to be of such severity so as to preclude substantially gainful employment. The Board denied the claim for TDIU because the Veteran has consistently engaged in substantial gainful employment throughout the relevant period on appeal.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including chronic sinusitis, psychiatric disability, low back disability, right knee disability, and tinnitus, do not render him incapable of securing or following substantially gainful employment prior to July 3, 2017. The Board found that the evidence does not support an exceptional situation preventing gainful employment due to his service-connected conditions.

Service connection for left ear hearing loss is denied.,Service connection for right ear hearing loss is granted.,Service connection for tinnitus is granted.,Service connection for a lost sense of smell is granted.,Service connection for bilateral upper and lower extremity diabetic neuropathy is granted.,The Veteran's hypertension and renal cell carcinoma are remanded for further review.,The Veteran's renal cell carcinoma may be related to herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus has been denied as the maximum schedular rating is already assigned.,Service connection for a right knee disability and left knee disability remains remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.,Service connection for degenerative disc disease (DDD) of the cervical spine remains remanded due to an inadequate examination report.,The Veteran's esophagus disability, including Barrett's esophagus and GERD, is presumed based on his exposure to herbicide agents while stationed at Nakhon Phanom RTAFB in Thailand.,Service connection for the esophagus disability remains remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding its etiology.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are of sufficient severity to produce unemployability from May 4, 2017 to August 8, 2019. The case is remanded for further consideration.

The Board has granted the appellant's claims for service connection for prostate cancer, hearing loss, and tinnitus. The character of discharge from service is not considered a bar to VA benefits.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including depressive disorder, left knee limitation of extension, right ankle arthritis, and other conditions, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since August 29, 2016. The Board has granted a TDIU effective from that date.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his active service, including exposure to noise. The claim for service connection is denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional VA examinations and further development regarding the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, particularly his left shoulder disability and bilateral ankle disabilities. The Veteran is seeking a TDIU on an extraschedular basis.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral knee osteoarthritis and bilateral tinnitus, finding that these conditions are related to the Veteran's military service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current condition began during his active service and is related to his exposure to noise during combat in Vietnam.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence of in-service injury or disease related to these conditions. The Veteran reported noise exposure during service but his STRs did not show any hearing issues at discharge. Post-service medical opinions concluded that the current hearing loss and tinnitus are less likely due to service.

The Board has added new evidence to the claims file and finds that it is relevant to the Veteran's service connection claims. The case is being remanded for readjudication based on this additional evidence.

The Veteran's tinnitus is at least as likely as not etiologically related to his active-duty service, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.