Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2022

The Board has remanded several issues related to service connection for various disabilities, including left ear hearing loss, tinnitus, right and left shoulder disabilities, low back disability, and carpal tunnel syndrome. The appeals are pending further development.

The Veteran's tinnitus was not incurred or aggravated by service, as there is no evidence of noise exposure during service and the first diagnosis occurred decades after separation. The Board found that the Veteran's statements about in-service noise exposure were inconsistent and less credible than contemporaneous medical evidence.

The Board has granted the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that these conditions are related to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including prostate cancer, obstructive sleep apnea, tinnitus, bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, and erectile dysfunction, render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for TDIU effective November 27, 2018.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, effective from the date of remand. The Board also granted a TDIU from February 1, 2015 due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD is rated at 70 percent disabling, but the Board finds that a higher evaluation is not warranted. The evidence does not show total occupational and social impairment due to symptoms such as persistent delusions or hallucinations, memory loss, or disorientation to time and place.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea, as secondary to his service-connected disabilities, should be remanded due to insufficient opinions regarding whether his weight gain and obesity are caused or aggravated by his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service-connected. The Board found that the Veteran had noise exposure during service, which is sufficient to establish a nexus between his current conditions and service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, sleep apnea, hypertension, pemphigus foliaceous, diabetes, and hydronephrosis have been granted. The Board found that new evidence submitted by the Veteran established a relationship between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, when combined, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since January 1, 2016.

The Veteran's tinnitus was found to have started during service and has continued since, meeting the criteria for service connection.

Your claim for service connection for tinnitus has been granted, and you no longer have an active appeal on this issue.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete medical records and lack of authorization for VA to request private treatment records. The Veteran is requested to provide additional information regarding his in-service motor vehicle accident, post-service employment exposure, and prison medical history.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The Board found that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to his in-service noise exposure, thus granting service connection.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted due to his service-connected disabilities precluding him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.,PTSD is rated at 50 percent, which does not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The Veteran's sleep disorder is denied as it is already covered under his PTSD disability ratings.,The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to uncertainty in the audiometric test results and threshold shifts between entry and separation from service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to insufficient rationale in previous opinions and the need for additional evidence.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death prior to a final decision. The claims for service connection and TDIU are not before the Board.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus had its onset during active service and granted service connection for this condition. The remaining issues have been remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, but the cases of right shoulder disorder, acquired psychiatric disorders (including PTSD), and respiratory condition are remanded due to outstanding VA treatment records and need for additional medical opinions.