Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2023

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to clarify the Veteran's periods of active duty for training (ACDUTRA), inactive duty for training (INACDUTRA), and 'full-time duty' under the provisions of 32 U.S.C. § ¶ 316, 502, 503, 504, or 505 during his service. The Board also notes that a VA examination is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's skin condition, as well as opinions regarding the relationship between his neck condition and right shoulder condition with his service-connected left lower extremity radiculopathy, and bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the threshold requirements for TDIU, and they do not render him unemployable on an extraschedular basis for the rating period prior to September 29, 2014.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment prior to July 5, 2022.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU prior to June 30, 2016 due to insufficient evidence regarding his employment history and inability to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the cases for further examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus, as there is conflicting evidence on whether these conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's application to reopen the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted.,Entitlement to an effective date prior to November 2, 2017, for the grant of service connection for PTSD is denied.

The Board has remanded the cases due to insufficient evidence to determine if service connection is warranted for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a right hand condition, and tinnitus. The Veteran's claims will be further evaluated with additional medical examinations.

The Veteran's claim for specially adapted housing and/or special home adaptation is remanded due to the need for a medical opinion on whether his service-connected disabilities are causing significant mobility issues, including right foot drop and difficulty walking.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is granted as of January 27, 2014. The decision was based on his service-connected disabilities and the fact that he has been unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability prior to July 23, 2021.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine, right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss, have prevented him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation since May 18, 2010. The Board has granted TDIU effective from that date.

The Board found that the withholding of VA disability compensation benefits for 53 training days in FY2015 was proper, and denied the Veteran's appeal.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have resulted in a combined evaluation of 90 percent, which meets the criteria for TDIU from November 15, 2022 onwards.

The Board dismissed all appeals for service connection due to the appellant's death.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation for the entire appeal period, and his TDIU is granted on an extraschedular basis.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus do not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, thus his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is denied.

The Veteran's sleep apnea is service-connected as it was caused by his service-connected conditions, including chronic sinusitis, adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety, low back strain with degenerative arthritis, left lower extremity lumbar radiculopathy, right knee degenerative joint disease, and tinnitus.

The Veteran's left elbow disorder has been granted service connection, as it is related to his period of active service. The Board found that the Veteran experienced functional impairment due to continuous elbow pain.,The Veteran's sleep apnea and headache disorders have been remanded for further evaluation, as there are conflicting opinions regarding their onset during service or their relation to environmental exposures.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied as not related to service.,The Veteran's heat-related disability, including heat exhaustion and heat rash, was remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not meet the schedular criteria for a TDIU prior to February 29, 2016. The Board referred the issue of entitlement to a TDIU to the Director of Compensation Service for extraschedular consideration.