Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2023

The Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual employability due to service-connected disabilities effective June 30, 2020. The combined effects of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's right carpal tunnel syndrome and tinnitus are granted as service-connected.,Service connection for hearing loss is remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's tinnitus, headache disorder, right hip disability, and left hip disability are all granted as service-connected. The acquired psychiatric disorder claim is denied.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not service-connected due to lack of evidence linking the conditions to his military service.,Right upper extremity radiculopathy was granted a 40% rating, while left upper extremity radiculopathy received a 30% rating.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for hearing loss and tinnitus due to a pre-existing duty-to-assist error. The issues are whether the Veteran's current left ear hearing loss disability was aggravated by service, and whether his right ear hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities clearly and unmistakably did not preexist service or were not aggravated by service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are associated with his in-service noise exposure. The decision resolves reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board denied an effective date prior to February 22, 2023, for the award of service connection for tinnitus as there was no earlier claim received.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted. The claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus do not meet the criteria for special monthly compensation based on aid and attendance or housebound status.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence to support a nexus between these conditions and his active service.

The Board has decided to remand the cases of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error, specifically regarding an inadequate VA examination.

The Veteran meets the schedular criteria for a TDIU as of August 8, 2022. His combined disability rating is at least 70 percent with at least one service-connected disorder rated at least 40 percent disabling.,For the period prior to August 8, 2022, there is sufficient evidence to substantiate a reasonable possibility that the Veteran may be unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities on an extraschedular basis.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities were not related to his military service.,There was no evidence of hearing loss or tinnitus during service, and the Veteran reported experiencing these conditions after discharge.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board denied the TDIU claim as his combined disability rating was at least 70%.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the case for further development regarding bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities required him to be in need of regular aid and attendance, leading to the grant of special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for aid and attendance (A&A) from February 7, 2018.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral tinnitus and remanded the issue of service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran's current tinnitus or OSA had onset during active service.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be proximately due to his service-connected hemorrhoids and thus granted secondary service connection.

The appeal of the GERD claim is dismissed as moot because a March 2023 rating decision granted service connection for GERD effective August 10, 2022.,The tinnitus claim has been reopened and granted. Service connection for tinnitus is established based on in-service noise exposure and current symptoms.,Service connection for periostitis (claimed as shin splints secondary to left knee strain) is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities are related to his active military service.