Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2022

The Board has granted an earlier effective date for the grant of total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) from May 7, 2012. The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevented him from maintaining gainful employment prior to this date.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was granted with an effective date of June 11, 1986. The Board found that the original denial in November 1986 did not become final due to a pending appeal and thus the earlier effective date is applicable.

The Veteran's application for PCAFC benefits was remanded due to the need for caregiver training and assessments, as well as a potential extension of the initial assessment period.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are etiologically related to in-service acoustic trauma.

The Board has decided to remand the claims of service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus due to inadequate rationale in the previous examination. The Veteran's exposure during active duty and National Guard service is noted, but the examiner did not consider his ACDUTRA service or the potential aggravation of tinnitus by hearing loss.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of tinnitus and cirrhosis of the liver for additional development due to errors in fulfilling their duty to assist.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received for the Veteran's claims of service connection for a right shoulder disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The claims are being remanded to allow for further examination and consideration.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, PTSD, left knee condition, right knee condition, left leg condition, lumbar back condition, and neck condition due to a duty-to-assist error. The Veteran was not scheduled for examinations because he failed to appear, but it is believed he was briefly incarcerated in March 2022.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome and heart condition have been dismissed due to withdrawal of the appeals. The claims for constipation/irritable bowel syndrome (claimed as Gulf War Syndrome) and tinnitus are being readjudicated.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety, depression, and PTSD is remanded.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as they are related to noise exposure during service.

The Veteran's tinnitus is related to his active service, and the Board has granted entitlement to service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus do not prevent him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are related to in-service noise exposure, but the VA examination was canceled. The Board is remanding for a new VA opinion.

The Board has determined that service connection for hypertension is not warranted as there is no diagnosis of hypertension in the record.,The nature and etiology of the Veteran's low back condition to include degenerative arthritis of the spine with sciatica, and headaches to include tension headaches and as secondary to service connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus (claimed as migraine headaches) are unclear due to insufficient medical evidence. The Veteran must be scheduled for an appropriate VA examination.,The Board has determined that service connection for headaches is not warranted as there is no diagnosis of a chronic condition in the record.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected. The issues of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability and bilateral hearing loss are remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, but the remaining claims of entitlement to higher ratings for PTSD, IBS, low back disorder, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and left lower extremity radiculopathy are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise to support these conditions as being related to the Veteran's service-connected Meniere's Syndrome.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have prevented him from securing and following substantially gainful employment since March 5, 2018.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied as she had not met the schedular requirements for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability prior to August 15, 2011.,The Veteran's SMC claims were also denied as she did not meet the statutory housebound status criteria prior to April 29, 2014 or between June 1, 2014 and August 26, 2014.

The Board has remanded the claims for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, a left eye disability, and a left foot disability due to additional VA clinical documentation being received.