Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the claim for an updated VA examination to determine if the Veteran's obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is related to his service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and hypothyroidism. The examiner must consider various medical articles discussing associations between OSA and psychiatric conditions.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to incomplete development.

The Veteran's initial claim for an initial compensable rating for right ear hearing loss was denied.,Service connection for tinnitus as secondary to his service-connected right ear hearing loss was granted.

The Board has granted service connection for a sleep disability on the basis that it is aggravated by multiple service-connected disabilities, including gallbladder cancer, headaches, tinnitus, and chronic sinusitis.

The Board has granted service connection for hypertension due to presumed exposure to herbicide agents. The remaining claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, sinus disorder, basal cell carcinoma of the back, diabetes mellitus type II, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy are remanded as they are inextricably intertwined with the hypertension claim.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU prior to August 26, 2019 was denied as his service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to have begun during service and granted service connection.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no current diagnosis of the condition.

The Board has granted the readjudication of the claim for service connection for headaches, and has remanded the claims for service connection for a nasal condition and tinnitus.

The Board has decided that the claim for bilateral hearing loss, including as secondary to service-connected tinnitus, should be remanded due to inadequate consideration of the Veteran's statements and examination findings.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is in approximate balance with respect to these conditions. The Veteran's current symptoms are believed to be related to his military noise exposure during service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for higher disability ratings for bilateral pes planus, bilateral plantar fasciitis with left heel spur (including osteoarthritis), and tinnitus before the decision was finalized.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to new evidence received. However, both conditions are denied as there is no credible link between current symptoms and military service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service-connected. The TDIU claim is denied due to lack of factual ascertainability of unemployability in the year prior to the initial TDIU claim.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted an increased rating of 50 percent. Service connection for tinnitus, right foot disability, left foot disability, right ankle disability, and left ankle disability are denied.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, bilateral tinnitus, vertigo, headaches, and erectile dysfunction (due to herbicide agent exposure) based on the Veteran's credible statements regarding his in-service noise exposure and symptoms.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated at 60 percent, the highest schedular rating available.,The Veteran's tinnitus is currently rated at 10 percent and cannot be rated higher.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate examination, requiring a new evaluation of the Veteran's tinnitus claim.

The Veteran's service connection claims for hearing loss, tinnitus, type II diabetes mellitus, prostate cancer, and esophageal cancer are all granted. However, the claim for type II diabetes mellitus is remanded due to a pre-decisional error in duty to assist.

The appeal on the issue of service connection for seizures has been withdrawn. The Veteran's claim for tinnitus is denied as there is no evidence showing onset or continuity of symptoms within one year after separation from service. The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 50% and not higher.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected tinnitus disability, finding that there is at least a balance of evidence in favor of this claim.