Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and OSA due to new evidence developed since the last SSOC.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for sleep apnea due to new and material evidence. The claims for other conditions are being remanded for further development.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran does not have current disabilities as required by VA compensation criteria.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for erectile dysfunction and SMC based on loss of use of a creative organ due to insufficient nexus opinions in previous VA examinations.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as it was granted in a previous decision. The case of tinnitus is remanded for further review.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to service, and granted service connection for it. The claims for bilateral hearing loss, a back disability, and sleep apnea are remanded for further development.

The Board denied service connection for a heart condition, dental disability, hypertension, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss as there is no evidence of current disabilities or continuity of symptoms since service.,Service connection was not granted because the Veteran did not have diagnosed conditions at any point during or after service.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for PTSD and hypertension, denied service connection for various conditions including hearing loss, tinnitus, fibromyalgia, low testosterone, chronic fatigue syndrome, left facial injury, Dercum's Disease, skin disability, neurological disability, and sleep disability. The claim for a 70 percent rating for PTSD was granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for headaches was denied because the evidence did not support a link between his current headaches and active service. His claim for TDIU prior to September 25, 2015 was also denied as he had multiple service-connected disabilities that did not preclude his employability.

The Board denied the Veteran's applications to reopen his claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus because no new and material evidence was presented, and thus, the criteria for reopening the claims were not met.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been reopened. The Board has determined that the evidence is sufficient to reopen the claims, but remanded for further development as a VA examination is needed to determine if the conditions are related to service.

The Veteran's appeals for effective dates earlier than December 28, 2015, for the grants of service connection for PTSD, left ear hearing loss, and tinnitus have been dismissed. The Board has also remanded the issues of entitlement to an increased rating for PTSD, a compensable rating for left ear hearing loss, and entitlement to TDIU.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, and tinnitus due to insufficient evidence regarding the in-service stressor event. The Veteran is advised that additional development is needed to establish a link between his current conditions and service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was not sufficient evidence to establish a relationship between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is denied as he does not suffer from this condition.,Service connection for right ear hearing loss is denied because the pre-existing condition did not worsen during service and post-service acoustic trauma caused any additional hearing loss.,Service connection for left ear hearing loss is denied due to lack of evidence showing a worsening of the condition during service, with post-service acoustic trauma being the cause of any current hearing loss.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for his left arm disability is denied as there was no aggravation beyond its natural progression by his service-connected thumb disability.,Service connection for the Veteran's left hand disability is granted based on continuity of symptoms since service, with the condition being related to his service-connected thumb disability.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA right shoulder examination to determine if any identified recurrent right shoulder disability had its onset during active service or is related to any incident of service, including the documented January 2012 SLAP tear.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is etiologically related to his military noise exposure during a period of active duty for training (ACDUTRA), and thus service connection for tinnitus is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for tinnitus was dismissed. Service connection was granted for left ankle, right ankle, and low back conditions as secondary to service-connected bilateral pes planus and plantar fasciitis.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The Veteran will need a VA examination for these conditions.