Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for sleep apnea, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and colon cancer due to new evidence received after the March 2017 Statement of the Case.

Service connection is granted for diabetes, diabetic peripheral neuropathy of all four extremities, and erectile dysfunction.,Service connection is denied for a chronic lumbar spine disorder.

The Board denied service connection for the cause of the Veteran's death, finding that his service-connected conditions did not contribute to his death from cardiorespiratory failure due to coronary artery disease.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development due to incomplete authorization forms and failure to obtain private and prison treatment records.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, eye disorder (right eye injury), and tinnitus were dismissed. The Veteran's claim for service connection of obstructive sleep apnea was granted with a rating of 70 percent effective August 20, 2020. The Veteran's claim for an increased rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD is denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral foot, shoulder, lumbar spine, sleep, tinnitus, and headache disabilities have been denied.,There is no evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's military service.

The Board has remanded the claims for posttraumatic stress disorder, right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, tinnitus, allergic rhinitis, bilateral foot condition, erectile dysfunction, hypertension, right knee pain, left knee pain, degenerative disc disease, left lower extremity radiculopathy, right lower extremity radiculopathy, sleep apnea, and benign prostatic hypertrophy due to incomplete service treatment records.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's lay testimony about his in-service noise exposure is credible and outweighs the negative VA medical opinions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and left wrist shell fragment wound, resulted from a common etiology of combat injuries. His combined disability rating is 60%, meeting the schedular threshold for a TDIU. However, he is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected conditions.

The Board has determined that remand is necessary for the Veteran's claims of service connection for a headache disability and tinnitus, as the prior VA examinations were not conducted in accordance with the Board's previous directives. The AOJ must obtain updated medical records, conduct new VA examinations to determine the nature, date of initial onset, and etiology of the Veteran's headaches and tinnitus, and consider whether service connection can be established under a direct theory.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's conditions are due to noise exposure during active service.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence of in-service noise exposure or chronic symptoms post-service. The Veteran's current conditions are not linked to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied, while her claim for service connection for irritable bowel syndrome as secondary to generalized anxiety disorder was granted.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the issue of hearing loss due to lack of evidence meeting VA disability criteria.

The Board denied service connection for right ear hearing loss and right ear tinnitus, but granted service connection for left ear tinnitus. The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is not considered to be related to military noise exposure.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted as of July 30, 2019 due to his service-connected major depressive disorder rated at 100%.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his psychiatric disorder and physical conditions like right shoulder osteoarthritis, prevented him from obtaining or retaining substantially gainful employment. The Board granted a TDIU rating based on the combined effects of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and a compensable rating are remanded due to the need for updated medical records and examinations. The issues of tinnitus, vertigo, and left ear hearing loss are inextricably intertwined with the issue of bilateral otitis media and externa.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for right hip, left knee, neck, and low back disorders due to secondary service-connected disabilities. The Veteran's contentions of in-service injury are being reviewed.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis is causally linked to his in-service exposure to loud noise.