Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to errors in fulfilling its duty to assist. The claims are being remanded so that a new VA examiner can reassess the Veteran's claims, taking into consideration contradictory evidence submitted by the Veteran and his lay statements regarding onset and continuity of symptoms.

The Veteran died due to anoxic brain injury, and the Board has decided to remand the case for further investigation into whether his service-connected disabilities could have contributed to his death.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, finding that there is no current diagnosis of tinnitus and thus not meeting the criteria for service connection.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus due to deficiencies in the VA examination, including lack of consideration of lay statements about symptom progression. The AOJ is instructed to obtain additional medical opinions addressing these concerns.

The Veteran's service connection claims for tinnitus, hearing loss, and sleep apnea are granted. The claims for hearing loss and sleep apnea are remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to inconsistencies in the Veteran's service records and the need to obtain relevant medical records, including SSA disability benefits records and private treatment records. The effective date claim remains pending.

The Veteran's PTSD has been granted a rating of 100% effective March 21, 2018. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus was denied. Service connection for erectile dysfunction and migraine headaches secondary to PTSD was granted.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected, effective from the date of receipt of his claim on January 11, 2018.,Service connection for tinnitus was denied due to lack of prior communication indicating intent to file a claim before January 11, 2018.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are denied as his current level of hearing is not disabling, and there is no evidence linking the conditions to service.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is also denied. The Board found that while he experienced noise exposure in service, his tinnitus did not begin until at least 5 years after separation from active duty.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service connected due to in-service noise exposure. The claims were reopened based on new evidence received since the previous final denial.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to insufficient evidence regarding their onset during service.

The Veteran's tinnitus has been rated at the highest schedular rating of 10 percent, which is the maximum allowed under Diagnostic Code 6260.,Prior to March 1, 2021, the Veteran's chronic tension headaches were rated at 30 percent. After that date, they are rated as noncompensable.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was granted effective November 4, 1999. He is currently assigned a 10% rating for his bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran meets the schedular requirement for Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected unspecified depressive disorder and tinnitus, effective December 24, 2017.

The Veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance or being housebound is remanded due to a duty-to-assist error. A new VA medical opinion is needed to determine if the Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him in need of regular aid and attendance, or permanently housebound.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that new evidence received since previous decisions supports these claims. The conditions are considered to have manifested during service with continuity of symptoms thereafter.

The Veteran's VA compensation benefits were improperly terminated from September 16, 2016 to January 8, 2018 due to fugitive felon status. The reduction of his benefits from January 9, 2018 to June 9, 2018 was also improper due to incarceration.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, has been granted. The claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have also been granted.,The reopened claim for service connection for a psychiatric disorder is remanded due to the submission of new evidence.

The Veteran's claim for SMC at the housebound rate was denied as he does not have a single service-connected disability rated 100% and an additional disability or disabilities independently ratable at 60%. The Board found that his TDIU granted due to multiple service-connected disabilities did not meet the criteria for SMC based on housebound status.