Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2023

The Veteran's claims for carpal tunnel syndrome of the right wrist, tinnitus, and gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD) have been denied as there is no current diagnosis or evidence linking these conditions to his service.,The Veteran's claim for degenerative arthritis of the left knee has been remanded due to insufficient medical opinion regarding its relationship to his service-connected right knee sprain. The claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder and hypertension remains in a similar state.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including cervical and thoracolumbar spine conditions with associated radiculopathies, bilateral lower extremity radiculopathies, tinnitus, right elbow lateral epicondylitis, right Achilles tendonitis, left and right lower extremity varicose veins, right thumb arthritis, right ear hearing loss, hemangioma of the left scalp, left thigh meralgia paresthetica, right foot metatarsophalangeal arthritis, and right foot scar, are found to be sufficiently severe to render him unable to maintain any form of substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and occupational background. As such, a TDIU is granted.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and procedural issues, including a need for additional medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him housebound or in need of regular aid and assistance.

The Veteran was granted a TDIU from June 30, 2011 to June 28, 2013 due to his service-connected disabilities preventing him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as a TDIU from October 8, 2013. The Veteran's disabilities meet the criteria for schedular consideration of a TDIU.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, diabetes mellitus, Type II, and prostate cancer disabilities have all been denied.,There is no evidence of current disability or in-service incurrence of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance and/or at the housebound rate, as well as loss of use of the buttocks, are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and records.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and multiple joint disabilities, do not meet the criteria for special monthly compensation (SMC) pursuant to 38 U.S.C. § 1114(s) prior to June 9, 2009, or since October 2, 2009.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, finding that there is no causal relationship between the condition and active service.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal of whether a substantive appeal was timely filed in response to a February 2017 statement of the case, finding that the appeal was untimely due to the failure to file within the required 60-day period.

The Board denied service connection for tinnitus due to a lack of evidence showing its onset during or within one year after service. The Veteran's hearing loss was remanded as the VA examiner did not consider threshold shifts between induction and separation.,The VA examiner opined that the right hand disability is more likely than not related to an in-service left finger sprain, but further clarification is needed regarding its relationship with the current bilateral hand osteoarthritis.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss has been denied, and the case is remanded due to the need for updated VA examination. The Veteran's TDIU claim is also remanded as his employment history needs clarification.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been reopened, but the Board has decided to remand these issues due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their onset or relationship to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability, continuity of symptomatology, or in-service incurrence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence of a current disability or in-service incurrence or aggravation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or maintain any substantially gainful occupation, and thus grants his claim for a TDIU.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to have had its clinical onset following his exposure to harmful noise levels in connection with his service, and the Board finds that entitlement to service connection for tinnitus is granted.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeals regarding earlier effective date for tinnitus and increased rating for scars as they were not properly raised in his VA Form 9.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected due to exposure to noise during his military service, and the Board finds that the evidence is in equipoise regarding the onset of tinnitus.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to conflicting evidence and inadequate medical opinions. The Veteran's current hearing loss is being evaluated further.