Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to inadequate VA opinions and inextricably intertwined issues.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding it related to the Veteran's in-service noise exposure. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unemployable as of October 30, 2013. The Board granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) effective from that date.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including major depressive disorder, sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus, prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted TDIU based on these conditions alone. Additionally, the Veteran meets the criteria for SMC based on housebound status due to his 100% service-connected major depressive disorder.

The Board denied service connection for a lower back disability, left wrist disability, neck disability, and left shoulder disability. Service connection was granted for tinnitus.,Service connection for the Veteran's claimed conditions is not supported by evidence of record.

The appeal concerning entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is dismissed as moot.,Service connection granted for tinnitus, with the Veteran having a current diagnosis and in-service incurrence.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and denied service connection for tinnitus. Bilateral hearing loss is found to be related to service, while tinnitus is not.

The Veteran's appeal for bilateral inguinal hernia repair was dismissed as the Veteran explicitly requested withdrawal.,The Veteran's appeal for an initial rating higher than 10 percent for tinnitus was also dismissed as the Veteran and his representative withdrew the appeal.

The Board has denied service connection for cervical spine condition, right knee condition, left wrist condition, right shoulder condition, and left shoulder condition. The Veteran's other conditions have been rated based on their current severity.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for any ear disability, including hearing loss, tinnitus, and vertigo; and hypertension. The reasons include a lack of complete STRs and personnel records, as well as outstanding VA treatment records.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for back pain, hearing loss, and tinnitus have been reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted.,The claims for service connection for back pain and hearing loss are remanded as additional information or medical examination may be needed to determine their etiology.

The Board has granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The appeal regarding earlier effective dates and disability ratings for tinnitus, left ear hearing loss, and right ear hearing loss is dismissed.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient development of records and examination opinions. The AOJ is instructed to obtain additional National Guard service records, particularly from May 1968 to April 1972, and schedule new VA examinations to address the etiology of the claimed conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current condition is related to his military service.

The Veteran is granted a TDIU for the period from June 12, 2007 to January 9, 2019 due to his service-connected disabilities. The claim for an extraschedular TDIU prior to June 12, 2007 was denied.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric condition. The Veteran's conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's request to reopen a previously denied claim for service connection for a kidney disability is granted. Service connection for tinnitus is denied, and the issue of service connection for end-stage kidney disease is remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for abrasion right leg is denied as there is no current diagnosis of the condition.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied due to lack of evidence of a disability during service and post-service. The Veteran has not been provided with an examination related to this issue.,Service connection for tinnitus is granted based on in-service exposure to noise and the Veteran's report of onset during service.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to a lack of an addendum opinion addressing a medical article submitted by the Veteran.