Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2023

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for tinnitus was denied as there were no claims filed in 2008, 2009, or 2013 that reasonably raised a claim of entitlement to service connection for tinnitus.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to a lack of adequate medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of deviated septum and pseudofolliculitis barbae. Service connection for tinnitus is granted.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for various conditions, including allergic rhinitis, left ear hearing loss, tinnitus, hernia condition, right ankle and leg disabilities, sinusitis, cervical spine and lumbar spine conditions, chronic heart disease, chronic heart failure, hypertension, and sleep apnea. The appeals were all denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for a higher rating or service connection.

The Board has granted an effective date of October 3, 2016 for service connection of tinnitus due to new and material evidence submitted in December 2017.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that both conditions are related to in-service noise exposure.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for arthritis, lumbar spine arthritis, right knee arthritis, tinnitus, and hearing loss of the right ear. The Veteran's current disabilities are found to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities other than panic disorder was denied. The Board found that the Veteran is not unemployable due to her service-connected disabilities other than her panic disorder.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, right elbow disability, right shoulder disability, and low back disability. ,However, the claims for a gastrointestinal disability, lung condition, and other disabilities are being remanded due to additional development needed.

The Board dismissed the appeal for service connection for Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. The Veteran's claims for tinnitus, lumbar spine disorder, left knee disorder, and right knee disorder were denied as there was no evidence of a nexus to service.

The Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are granted as service connected.,The Veteran's left knee disability is remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has remanded the claims for left ear hearing loss, tinnitus, and pain due to a lack of a VA examination. The Veteran's MOS was personnel specialist but he worked as an armorer during service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him in need of regular aid and attendance or substantially confined to his dwelling due to service-connected conditions, resulting in a denial of SMC based on aid and attendance and housebound status.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's combined service-connected disabilities prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation, and therefore grants his claim for total disability based on individual unemployability.

The Board has remanded the cases of service connection for tinnitus, a right foot/right ankle condition, and a skin condition due to potential errors in the duty to assist.

The Veteran's claims for residuals of right sided acoustic neuroma with radiotherapy treatment and tinnitus have been reopened due to the submission of new and relevant evidence. Service connection is granted for these conditions.,Service connection is also granted for tinnitus, as it is at least as likely as not related to the Veteran's service-connected right-sided acoustic neuroma.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD and tinnitus caused symptoms that were inconsistent with obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment during the appeal period, leading to a grant of an extraschedular TDIU from September 1, 2020 until March 8, 2021.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to his military service, specifically his time as an avionics technician in the Air Force and Air Force Reserve. The Board granted service connection for tinnitus.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and right foot disability. The Veteran's tinnitus is presumed to have been incurred during service due to in-service noise exposure. However, there is no evidence of a current diagnosis or continuity of symptoms related to the claimed hearing loss and right foot disabilities that can be traced back to service.

The Veteran's tinnitus is related to his in-service noise exposure, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.