Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2022

The Board has dismissed all service connection claims and effective date claims due to the Veteran's death.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for lumbar spine disability and tinnitus, finding no current diagnosed disabilities. The decision also remanded the case for further development regarding tinnitus.

The Veteran's combined evaluation for service-connected disabilities prior to November 5, 2018 was 90 percent. The appeal for a higher rating is denied.

The appeal of the claim for service connection for tinnitus was dismissed as it has been granted in a September 2022 rating decision. The claims for service connection for back disability and acquired psychiatric disability are remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the case for further action regarding bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran is granted service connection for tinnitus.,Service connection is remanded for bilateral hearing loss disability, bilateral nuclear sclerotic cataracts as secondary to diabetes mellitus, and a sleep disability as secondary to PTSD.

The Board has determined that additional development is required due to the need for an addendum medical opinion from a VA examiner regarding the causation and proximate cause of the Veteran's claimed disabilities.

The Board denied requests for earlier effective dates for the grant of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the earliest date of receipt was February 13, 2017.

The Veteran's claims for increased disability evaluation for tinnitus and service connection for major depressive disorder, right lower extremity sciatica, and effective date prior to February 8, 2017 were denied.,The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date of February 8, 2017 for the grant of service connection for right lower extremity sciatica was granted.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claim for service connection of left ear hearing loss due to potential errors in obtaining his National Guard service records and VA examinations not addressing the relationship between right ear hearing loss and left ear hearing loss.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus. The Veteran's right sciatic radiculopathy is rated at 10 percent from January 30, 2020 through April 10, 2020. The effective date for service connection of right sciatic radiculopathy remains January 30, 2020. Service connection for colon cancer and residuals (including bowel incontinence) is remanded due to a duty to assist error.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are related to his in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to multiple pre-decisional duty to assist errors, including incorrect social security numbers and missing military records. Additional evidence is needed to determine the relationship between his conditions and active duty.

The Board has dismissed the appeal due to the Veteran's death, and no further action can be taken until a proper substitute is identified.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether these conditions had their onset during service.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and bilateral tinnitus due to the Veteran withdrawing his appeal prior to a decision being made.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining an addendum medical opinion to address the etiology of the Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a TDIU rating on an extraschedular basis at any time during the appeal period.

The Board has remanded the case for referral to VA's Director of Compensation Service for extraschedular consideration due to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities potentially preventing him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for right ankle condition, acquired psychiatric disorder (including depressive disorder, schizophrenia, and PTSD), headaches, and tinnitus. The claims are remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the nature and etiology of these conditions.