Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2022

The Board has decided to remand the cases of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to inadequate VA examination opinions. The Veteran's service records show in-service noise exposure, but the current VA examiner did not consider this in their opinion.

The Veteran's tinnitus and psychiatric disability are granted as service connected. The Board found the evidence in balance, thus granting the claims due to the Veteran's credible statements regarding his symptoms.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, ischemic heart disease, coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathies of the upper and lower extremities, hypertension, and tinnitus, render him incapable of securing or following a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted his claim for TDIU.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus, finding that these conditions are etiologically related to in-service acoustic trauma.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus on a presumptive basis as a chronic disease, based on the Veteran's in-service exposure to loud noises.,There is insufficient evidence of record to establish a current disability or persistent/recurrent symptoms of a disability resulting in functional impairment affecting the Veteran's earning capacity for a lower back disability. Service connection for this condition is denied.

The Veteran's service connection claims for unspecified trauma and stressor related disorder, opioid use disorder, tinnitus, headaches, and hypertension are all granted.

The Board has granted service connection for a tinnitus disability but has remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss (BHL) disability due to inadequate VA nexus opinions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to his in-service noise exposure and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension is granted. The Veteran's claim for benign prostatic hypertrophy is dismissed due to his withdrawal of the appeal. The claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a skin disability are remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus, finding that these conditions are etiologically related to in-service acoustic trauma.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to have originated during service and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's allergy condition, lumbar disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are all found to be related to his service. Service connection is granted for each.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, finding that his tinnitus is not related to active service and more likely due to post-service occupational noise exposure.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to incomplete information regarding his employment and income throughout the appeals period. The Board will request this information from the Veteran.

The Veteran's tinnitus has been granted service connection. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss, a psychiatric disability, and sleep apnea is remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU on an extraschedular basis because his service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's surviving spouse withdrew her appeals for service connection for tinnitus, hypertension, aortic valvular disease, and sleep apnea.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss due to insufficient evidence in the record.

The Veteran's TDIU claim from October 14, 2009 to March 29, 2010 is moot due to his combined 100% disability rating.,The Veteran's TDIU prior to October 14, 2009 remains on appeal and requires extraschedular consideration.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the evidence is approximately evenly balanced as to whether the Veteran's tinnitus began during active service. The decision concludes that the reasonable doubt created by this approximate balance in the evidence must be resolved in favor of the Veteran.