Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2022

The Veteran's service-connected conditions did not prevent him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment during the period September 27, 2014 to March 1, 2015.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a left knee condition due to new evidence showing potential current disabilities and conflicting onset dates.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to deficiencies in the October 2020 VA opinion, which did not address the Veteran's lay statements regarding in-service acoustic trauma and explain their reliance on the absence of audiology treatment.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as at least as likely as not related to her active military service.,The claims for back, right foot, left foot disabilities and GERD are remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a thoracolumbar spine disorder. However, due to conflicting evidence regarding the etiology of these conditions, the claims are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss and tinnitus are related to service, with current diagnoses established.,For left foot metatarsalgia and osteoarthritis and left ankle osteoarthritis, the evidence is approximately evenly balanced as to whether these disabilities had their onset in service.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disability, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and PFB. Service connection was granted for right lower extremity radiculopathy, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right upper extremity radiculopathy.,Service connection was not established for PTSD or schizophrenia due to lack of evidence linking the conditions to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability (TDIU) as his employment with the United States Postal Service was considered to be in a protected environment and he earned more than marginal income.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected. The cases for left wrist pain, lumbosacral strain, and right ankle sprain are remanded due to inadequate examination findings.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral tinnitus. The Veteran's tinnitus is found to have begun during his military service and has persisted since then.,Service connection for bilateral pes planus, onychomycosis (claimed as bilateral foot disability), left ankle disability, right eye disability, uveitis, and left ear disability are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has remanded the claim for TDIU due to insufficient evidence showing that the Veteran is unemployable by reason of his service-connected disabilities. The case must be referred to the Director of Compensation Services for consideration under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(b).

The Veteran's service connection claims for tinnitus and a left knee disorder are granted. The Board found that the conditions were incurred during active duty.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for traumatic brain injury, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss due to inadequate consideration of certain medical opinions and examinations in the original decision.

The Board denied the Veteran's requests for earlier effective dates for service connection of PTSD, CAD, BHL, tinnitus, and hypertension. The effective date assigned in January 2018 rating decision was October 10, 2014.

Service connection for tinnitus is granted. Service connection for headaches, lower extremity arthritis, bilateral hearing loss, and a female reproductive disorder are denied. The right wrist disorder and acquired psychiatric disorder claims are remanded.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the etiology of the Veteran's claimed conditions, including bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a back disorder, and diabetes mellitus. The issues have been remanded for further action.

Service connection for tinnitus is granted.,Service connection for prostate condition and stomach problems are denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence showing that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unemployable prior to June 27, 2016. The case is now referred for extraschedular TDIU consideration.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence of an earlier claim being received by VA.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was remanded for additional development. The Board also noted that the claims for diabetes mellitus, heart disability, and Parkinson's disease are pending and may be relevant to his TDIU claim.