Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2023

The Veteran is granted a TDIU from October 19, 2018 due to his service-connected disabilities. The combined rating for these disabilities is 80 percent.

Service connection for tinnitus is granted. Service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder (including a depressive disorder, anxiety, and insomnia) is remanded. Service connection for erectile dysfunction as secondary to an acquired psychiatric disorder is also remanded.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings of tinnitus and suprapubic and infraumbilical scar have been withdrawn.,New evidence has been submitted to reopen claims for service connection for radiculopathy, lumbar disc disease, and cervical disc disease.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The effective date requests were also denied as they did not meet legal requirements.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and an acquired psychiatric disability to include PTSD due to inadequate development of evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the issue of a higher rating for PTSD.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for tinnitus and an upper respiratory disability due to incomplete medical opinions, lack of VA treatment records, and potential gaps in documented medical history. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions based on his military service.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss have been dismissed. The appeal for a total disability individual unemployability (TDIU) from March 17, 2016 to August 13, 2021 has been granted.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions regarding his employability and functional impairment from his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral eye disorder, including UV damage to the eyes, has been reopened and granted. The RO assigned a 50 percent rating for tension headaches effective November 1, 2022.,An initial increased rating of 50 percent for tinnitus was granted effective November 1, 2022.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's symptoms began during his military service and have persisted since then.

The Board has remanded the cases of service connection for a low back disability and tinnitus due to incomplete records and inadequate examination.

The Board has granted service connection for erectile dysfunction as secondary to service-connected diabetes mellitus, type 2. The claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are remanded.

The Board has remanded the cases due to procedural issues and will need to provide an SOC for the service connection claims.

The Veteran's service-connected depressive disorder is granted as secondary to his other disabilities. The rhinitis with history of sinus infections, OSA, and tinnitus are all rated at the maximum allowed under current criteria. Service connection for scar from right great toe surgery is granted but not effective prior to April 24, 2015.

The Veteran's PTSD with depression is granted effective June 22, 2010. The appeal for tinnitus and the scar post-surgery associated with right upper extremity carpal tunnel syndrome are denied.

The appeals for service connection on all issues have been dismissed due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU was denied prior to March 17, 2017 due to his service-connected orthopedic disabilities. From March 17, 2017, the Veteran has been granted a TDIU based solely on his service-connected orthopedic disabilities.,The Veteran is now eligible for SMC at the housebound rate since November 22, 2017 due to his combined rating of 100 percent and other service-connected disabilities independently ratable at 60 percent.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to incomplete information from a previous VA examination. The Veteran's current hearing levels could not be tested, and further clarification is needed.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss but granted service connection for tinnitus. The claims of reopening the claim for obstructive sleep apnea and service connection for asthma (including as due to exposure to particulate matter) are remanded.