Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2022

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation consistent with his education and occupational experience during the period on appeal prior to October 1, 2016. Therefore, TDIU was denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for left knee problems, right knee problems, tinnitus, lung problems, and stomach issues. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis is related to his active duty service. However, it denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to insufficient evidence linking the condition to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to October 9, 2021. The Board found that the Veteran was still employed at the time of his appeal.

The Veteran's PTSD was granted an increased rating of 70 percent effective June 26, 2019.,Service connection for hypertension is denied. The Veteran's new and material evidence has reopened the claim, but service connection remains denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings, service connection, or reopening of previously denied claims have been granted. The case is remanded for further development on some issues.

The Veteran's appeal for an initial rating greater than 10 percent for tinnitus is denied.,An effective date of August 13, 1982 is granted for the grant of service connection for tinnitus.,Issues related to head injury, headaches, low back condition, speech difficulties due to head injury, sleep disorder (including sleep apnea), and a cyst on the left side of the brain are remanded for further development.,The Veteran's claim to reopen a previously denied claim of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is also remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee strain and lumbosacral strain and degenerative arthritis of the spine, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not related to his military service.,Service connection was denied for tinnitus due to a lack of evidence linking the condition to military noise exposure.

The Veteran's petition to reopen claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus was denied. The claim for increased rating for CAD from October 1, 2014 to July 16, 2015 was granted with a 60% disability rating. The claim for increased rating for CAD from November 1, 2015 to May 26, 2021 was denied. Service connection for hypertension is granted due to herbicide exposure under the PACT Act. The claim for secondary service connection for COPD due to CAD was denied.

The Veteran's ischemic heart disease, bilateral hearing loss, and bilateral tinnitus have been granted service connection due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents during his active duty in Vietnam.

The Board granted a 100 percent rating for PTSD prior to July 29, 2013, and dismissed the TDIU claim as moot.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the onset or causation of these disabilities.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected, while his bilateral hearing loss and lumbar spine disability are denied.,The Board finds that the evidence is at least in approximate balance for the grant of service connection for tinnitus but denies service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remands the issue of service connection for a lumbar spine disability.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for aid and attendance/housebound due to his service-connected disabilities not meeting the criteria for SMC at the housebound rate.

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

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to procedural errors and the need for further medical examinations.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a lack of an opinion addressing whether the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea was aggravated by his service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The case will be returned for further review.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted from November 15, 2018. The issue of entitlement to a TDIU for the period from July 13, 2019, to April 1, 2021, is rendered moot due to SMC benefits based on aid and attendance being in effect during this timeframe.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his lower back disability and associated radiculopathy, result in loss of use of the lower extremities. The Board grants financial assistance in acquiring specially adapted housing due to this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to noise exposure during his military service.