Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2023

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's tinnitus. The AOJ will seek another opinion from a qualified medical specialist to determine if the tinnitus is related to military service or other conditions.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service-connected.,For the left knee, the Veteran is still seeking an increased rating.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's tinnitus claim is granted, but has remanded the bilateral hearing loss claim due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and earlier effective dates have been withdrawn.,The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and earlier effective dates have been withdrawn.,The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and earlier effective dates have been withdrawn.,The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date has been withdrawn.,The Veteran's appeal for an earlier effective date has been withdrawn.,New evidence has been submitted to reopen the service connection claim for obstructive sleep apnea, but further review is needed before a decision can be made.,The Veteran's service connection claim for hypertension remains pending and requires additional development.,The Veteran's service connection claim for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) remains pending and requires additional development.,The Veteran's service connection claim for a neck disability remains pending and requires additional development.,The Veteran's service connection claim for traumatic brain injury (TBI) remains pending and requires additional development.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for a traumatic brain injury (TBI) was denied due to the lack of current diagnosis and no evidence linking his symptoms to active duty. The claim for TDIU was also denied as the Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unemployable.

The Veteran's tinnitus and right ear hearing loss are granted service connection, but left ear hearing loss is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not meet the criteria for service connection, except for a grant of entitlement to a separate compensable evaluation for radiculopathy of the left lower extremity.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to his in-service noise exposure and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the Veteran not reporting for a VA examination scheduled in December 2018. The case will be returned for further action.

The Board has denied the claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, and tinnitus due to a lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated during military service.

The Board has remanded several issues related to service connection for various disabilities, including chronic gout, hearing loss, an acquired psychiatric disability (claimed as depression), diabetes mellitus, migraine headaches, a sleep disorder with insomnia, tinnitus, and a back disability. The reasons include the need to verify the appellant's claimed service, particularly whether he served in line of duty during any periods of active duty, ACDUTRA, or INACDUTRA.

The Veteran's tinnitus and acquired psychiatric disorder, including major depressive disorder with secondary alcohol use disorder, are granted. Bilateral hearing loss and a back disability remain pending as they were remanded.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to have begun during active service and thus service connection is granted.,Service connection for hypertension cannot be established as the evidence does not support a finding that it began or was aggravated by active duty, ACDUTRA, or INACDUTRA.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient opinions regarding the Veteran's headaches and their relationship to service, tinnitus, and prior treatment. The Veteran will need to provide records from his private provider and undergo a VA examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities allowed him to qualify for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) beginning August 12, 2010. He also received special monthly compensation (SMC) pursuant to 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s).

The Board has granted service connection for a right knee disability, right ear hearing loss, and tinnitus. The case is remanded to obtain updated VA examination records for left ear hearing loss.

The petition to reopen service connection for a left ankle condition is denied.,Service connection for a heart condition, bilateral hearing loss, and hypertension are all denied. The Veteran's claim for erectile dysfunction (claimed as secondary to hypertension) and headaches are remanded.

The Veteran's petition to reopen claims for service connection for tinnitus, right ear hearing loss, and left ear hearing loss was granted. Service connection for tinnitus is established based on the benefit of doubt, while service connection for right ear hearing loss and left ear hearing loss are denied.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to a lack of evidence meeting the criteria for a current disability under 38 C.F.R. § 3.385, and because there was no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and remanded the issue of a higher rating for right knee disability.