Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the cases due to a need to determine if the Veteran now has hearing loss and tinnitus for VA purposes, as well as whether these conditions began during service.

The Board has ordered the remand of two issues: service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The Veteran's representative argues that an addendum opinion is needed to address whether his delayed onset hearing loss should be considered.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the Board has determined that additional evidence is needed to properly adjudicate these claims.

The Veteran's hypertension is denied as there is no evidence of a connection to his military service.,The Veteran's left shoulder disability and right shoulder disability are both denied due to lack of in-service injury, illness or event.

The Board denied reopening service connection for right and left ear hearing loss, hypertension, tinnitus, kidney disease, and a heart disorder (to include coronary artery disease or ischemic heart disease). Service connection was granted for hypertension based on the PACT Act presumption of herbicide exposure.

The Veteran was granted TDIU on an extraschedular basis for the period prior to March 31, 2015 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, finding that the Veteran's in-service noise exposure is linked to his current conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for tinnitus and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and depression) due to insufficient development, including a need for new VA examinations.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and tinnitus, rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment prior to August 31, 2016. The Board granted a TDIU on an extraschedular basis for this period.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for tinnitus, left ear hearing loss, and right ear hearing loss as there are insufficient medical opinions regarding the onset of these conditions during service or their relationship to in-service noise exposure.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU prior to March 30, 2018, on an extraschedular basis due to the evidence not showing that his service-connected disabilities alone rendered him unemployable.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for skin rash, tinnitus, an internal organ condition other than GERD (GERD), and a dental condition for treatment purposes were denied. The decision also remanded several issues.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, particularly his bilateral foot disabilities, precluded him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has remanded the case due to an inadequate VA examination in June 2014, which did not address whether the Veteran's tinnitus is related to his in-service noise exposure. The Veteran must be provided with a new VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, hypertensive vascular disease, prostate cancer, cervical spine disorder (arthritis), and PTSD have been dismissed due to the Veteran withdrawing his appeals.,The Veteran's claim for secondary service connection for obstructive sleep apnea has been granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow gainful employment, as he has a combined evaluation of 80% and his conditions have not prevented him from working.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus do not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities, finding that his service-connected conditions did not render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for syphilis, epiretinal membrane and left hemianopsia of the right eye, and tinnitus have been granted. The decision also found that there is reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran regarding his tinnitus claim.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C. § 1151 for a right eye disorder is being remanded for additional development.