Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2023

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for the back disability was denied as his findings did not more nearly approximate unfavorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine or intervertebral disc syndrome with incapacitating episodes.,There is a lack of compliance with the Board's remand directives regarding the issues of entitlement to an effective date earlier than October 11, 2016 for the grant of service connection for tinnitus and entitlement to an initial rating higher than 10 percent for tinnitus.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to insufficient evidence regarding their onset during active duty training (ACDUTRA).

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.,There is no evidence of a nexus between the Veteran's in-service noise exposure and his current hearing loss or tinnitus.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, left ear scar, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation since September 8, 2016. The Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) from that date.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hearing loss is denied, while his claim for tinnitus is granted.

The Veteran's appeal includes claims for service connection for various conditions, and the Board has ordered additional records to be obtained as part of this remand process.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the conditions are etiologically related to in-service acoustic trauma.

The Board has remanded the claims for left knee disability, right knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus to obtain additional medical records from various providers.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for left tibia fracture residuals, right knee osteoarthritis, and chronic gastritis were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a grant of service connection for tinnitus.,For the remaining conditions, the Board determined that the current 10 percent ratings adequately reflected the severity of the Veteran's disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to discrepancies in his reported symptoms and notations on VA examination reports.

The Veteran's irritable bowel syndrome is presumed to have been incurred as a result of service in Southwest Asia.,Service connection for tinnitus has been granted based on the presumption that it was caused by noise exposure during service, and the Veteran's testimony regarding hazardous noise exposure in service meets the first two required components of service connection.,The Board found no evidence to support the Veteran's claim for bilateral plantar fasciitis as a result of service.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions have been dismissed due to the Veteran's withdrawal of her legacy appeal in favor of higher-level review through the modernized system.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation prior to October 23, 2018.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus has been denied as there is no current evidence of a tinnitus disability.,Claims for increased ratings for right knee limitation of extension, right knee instability, left knee strain with arthritis, and left knee instability have all been denied due to the Veteran's failure to report for VA examinations.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected tinnitus.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including anxiety disorder, tinnitus, chronic pharyngotonsillitis, and bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. As a result, the Board has granted a TDIU.

The Board has remanded several service connection claims due to the need for additional examinations and opinions. Service connection is granted for tinnitus, but other claims remain pending.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims of service connection for tinnitus and right ankle disability due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU due to service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that his disabilities did not preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for the issues of entitlement to a compensable disability rating for residuals of right calf contusion and service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, high blood pressure (hypertension), lumbar and lower back condition, vision and cataracts, and erectile dysfunction and sexual dysfunction.