Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the etiology of these conditions. The Veteran's service records do not show any complaints or findings related to hearing loss or tinnitus, but he contends that his current disabilities are linked to in-service noise exposure.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss but granted service connection for tinnitus.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus began within one year of his military discharge, and therefore grants service connection for this condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence of in-service injury or disease related to these conditions. The Board also noted that both conditions did not manifest within a presumptive period following separation from service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that these conditions are at least as likely as not related to noise exposure during his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, coronary artery disease, and gunshot wounds to the hip and leg, have rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and work experience.

The appeals for service connection for gastrointestinal disorder, neck disorder, headache disorder, and right knee bursitis have been dismissed. Service connection has been granted for tinnitus.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to a failure of the Veteran to report for scheduled VA examinations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and degenerative arthritis of the spine have been granted.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for a blood condition to include anemia and microcytosis is remanded.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as they are related to his military service. The VA examiner must consider the Veteran's lay statements regarding loud noise exposure during service, including his jobs in air defense artillery and vehicle mechanic.

The Veteran's appeal for an increased disability rating for migraine headaches has been withdrawn. The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and remanded the issue of service connection for sleep apnea as secondary to Graves' disease.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from securing and maintaining a substantially gainful occupation during the period on appeal.

The Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 40 percent for TBI prior to February 15, 2021, and in excess of 70 percent for PTSD, MDD, and TBI thereafter is dismissed.,The Veteran's appeal for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) is denied.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as there is no evidence of current disabilities within the criteria defined by VA regulations.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is denied as his service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been reopened, but the Board has decided to remand them due to new evidence suggesting in-service noise exposure.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than July 22, 2010 for the grant of service connection for schizoaffective disorder (also claimed as PTSD) was denied. The Board found that there was no basis for an earlier grant of benefits in this case.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted on a schedular basis from February 23, 2022 due to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss disability.

The Veteran's current diagnosed migraine headaches are found to have had their onset during her active service and continue to this day.,The Veteran's current diagnosed eustachian tube dysfunction is found to have had its onset during her active service and continues to this day.