Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2022

The Board has granted the Veteran's requests to reopen his previously denied claims for bilateral knee disability, left eye disability (to include residuals from corneal abrasion), and psychiatric disorder. The appeals for service connection for headaches, a bilateral hip disability as secondary to bilateral knee disability, digestive disability, and tinnitus are remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of TBI is denied as there is no current diagnosis and the evidence does not support a finding that any current symptoms are related to an in-service injury.,Service connection for sleep apnea is also denied. The Board found that the Veteran's current sleep apnea is not related to his in-service car accident or head injury, and the weight of medical literature does not support a relationship between TBI and obstructive sleep apnea.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded as VA did not obtain an adequate opinion regarding whether pre-existing hearing loss increased during service. The Veteran also has tinnitus which was not addressed in the decision, so this issue is also remanded.,Service connection for tinnitus is denied due to a lack of medical evidence linking it to service.

Service connection for tinnitus is granted, and a 20 percent rating for service-connected left upper extremity radiculopathy is restored effective January 1, 2018. The increased ratings for the neck and right knee disabilities are denied, and TDIU due to service-connected disabilities is remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, meeting the criteria for a TDIU.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no credible medical or lay evidence showing a diagnosis of these conditions during the pendency of the claim.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are related to service. The decision on these issues is pending.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and erectile dysfunction has been granted. The claims of entitlement to a rating in excess of 10 percent for diabetes mellitus, service connection for bilateral toe fungus, hepatitis, removal of kidney, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus have been remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment prior to July 31, 2019.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, vertigo associated with tinnitus, and tinnitus associated with bilateral hearing loss, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted TDIU based on the combined effect of these conditions.

The Board dismissed the issues of service connection for tinnitus, right and left ear hearing loss, headaches, a right eye disorder, a right knee disorder, and a right shoulder disorder. The issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and remanded the issues of initial compensable disability rating for right knee disability, service connection for bilateral hearing loss, and service connection for lumbar degenerative disease (low back disability).

The Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including tinnitus, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), left knee condition, back condition, herpes, and scars, have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of current disabilities or a causal relationship to service for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient opinions regarding the relationship between the Veteran's vertigo and his service-connected conditions, specifically the perforated right tympanic membrane and tinnitus.

The Veteran's service-connected headache disability and other disabilities render him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment, qualifying for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability. Additionally, his single service-connected disability (headache) combined with additional disabilities independently rated at 60% qualify him for special monthly compensation at the housebound rate.

Service connection is granted for cervical spondylosis, stenosis, and degenerative disc disease.,Service connection is granted for tinnitus.

The Board has denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus and a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss. The claim for an earlier effective date for service connection for bilateral hearing loss prior to September 16, 2016 is remanded.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for back disability, other than lumbosacral strain and claimed as spondylolysis. The claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and acquired psychiatric disorder are also remanded due to inadequate examination reports.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's Meniere's disease with hearing loss and tinnitus is being remanded for further evaluation due to worsening symptoms.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's tinnitus is service-connected, but has found that more evidence is needed to determine if his bilateral hearing loss is related to service. The case is being sent back for further examination and analysis.