Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2022

The Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, liver disease (to include hepatitis B), gastrointestinal disorder (to include IBS and/or Crohn's disease), low back disability, left knee disability, right ankle disability, kidney disease, heart disease, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are denied as there is no evidence of in-service incurrence or aggravation.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for these conditions must be remanded to obtain VA examinations.

The claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss has been granted by the agency of original jurisdiction. The claims for other conditions have been remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including leukemia, left ankle and knee conditions, tinnitus, skull scars, and lower leg issues, prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation. The Board granted a TDIU on an extraschedular basis.

Service connection is granted for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. A rating higher than 70 percent for PTSD is denied.,The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from substantially gainful employment, but a TDIU is denied.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for increased ratings of various knee and ankle disabilities, tinnitus, and right little finger arthritis have been denied as the earliest possible effective date is April 9, 2019.

The Veteran's application for benefits under the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) was remanded due to insufficient caregiver training and a lack of completion within 90 days. The claim is being returned to the AOJ for further development.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, finding that there is not sufficient evidence to establish a link between his current condition and his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's tinnitus, finding that it began during his military service. Service connection was denied for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss.

The Board denied service connection for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and granted service connection for tinnitus. The Board found insufficient evidence to establish a nexus between the Veteran's current degenerative arthritis and his period of service, but determined that there was at least equipoise in favor of finding a relationship between the Veteran's tinnitus and his military service.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected. The hearing loss and dental disability claims are remanded for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as secondary to service-connected bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's current hearing loss is related to in-service noise exposure, and his tinnitus is considered a symptom of his service-connected hearing loss.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment as of April 26, 2022. The Board granted a TDIU from that date.

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

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and bilateral foot conditions, make it impossible for him to obtain or maintain a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has determined that the evidence is in an approximate balance as to whether he can perform the physical and mental acts required by such employment.

The Board has determined that new evidence has been submitted and is requesting the AOJ to review this evidence for its impact on the Veteran's claims of service connection for PTSD, MDD, and tinnitus. The AOJ will then issue a supplemental statement of the case (SSOC).

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities in combination precluded him from securing or following substantially gainful employment prior to March 19, 2008.

The Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are granted as service-connected. The respiratory disability claim is remanded for further development.

The Veteran's service-connected COPD is granted, and he is now eligible for a TDIU effective August 1, 2019. However, the Board denied his request for an earlier effective date for the TDIU.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between his current tinnitus and his military service.