Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2023

Service connection for a chronic lumbar spine disability, left shoulder disability, and tinnitus has been granted.,Service connection for hypertension, headache disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, and acquired psychiatric disorder has not been established.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, bilateral tinnitus, and headaches due to service connection. The VA is required to provide a VA examination and medical opinion considering the Veteran's participation in toxic exposure risk activities (TERA) during service.

The Board has remanded the claim for a TDIU due to unclear evidence regarding the appellant's capacity to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, specifically related to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has found that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss and tinnitus are not directly related to service, but rather may be due to in-service noise exposure and treatment for ear infections. The claims are being remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral lower extremity frostbite due to insufficient evidence and further development is needed.

The Veteran's tinnitus, left shoulder disorder, and left hip disorder are all found to be related to his military service. Sleep apnea is also granted as being related to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for chronic residuals of anaphylactic shock, eye strain (including refractive error), ear condition, and tinnitus have all been denied. The Board found no new and material evidence to reopen the claims for chronic residuals of anaphylactic shock and eye strain. For the ear condition claim, the Veteran did not provide sufficient evidence of a current disability or persistent symptoms associated with such a condition. Tinnitus was granted service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, hypertension, pes planus of the left foot, pes planus of the right foot, chronic bronchitis, and low back disability. The evidence does not support a finding that any of these conditions began during or are otherwise related to active service.

The Board has granted service connection for headaches as secondary to PTSD. The claims for back and neck disabilities, diabetes mellitus, erectile dysfunction, hypertension, right ankle disability, left ankle disability, and tinnitus are remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including a fracture of the left wrist and tinnitus, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, PTSD, migraine, and tinnitus have been granted. The appeals for increased evaluations and the TDIU claim are still pending.

Service connection is granted for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.,The Veteran's headaches, neck disorder, back disorder, heart disorder, hypertension, acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD), anxiety, insomnia, sleep disturbances, and depression are remanded for further development.

The Board has granted service connection for cervical spine, lumbar spine, and left knee disabilities. However, the appeal is remanded for further action on claims for osteopenia, migraine headaches, an acquired psychiatric disability, a left shoulder disability, and a right knee disability.,Service connection is established for tinnitus due to its presumptive association with service in the Southwest Asia theater of operations during the Gulf War.

The Veteran's tinnitus and cervical spine disability are granted service connection, but his bilateral hearing loss disability is denied. The case is remanded for further examination to determine the etiology of the cervical spine disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for tinnitus, are all denied. The Board found that there was no evidence to support a finding that the disabilities began during active service or were related to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded for further examination to determine if they are caused or aggravated by his service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to his in-service noise exposure during combat operations.

The Veteran's PTSD is granted a 100% rating, and he is granted SMC from March 30, 2020. The TDIU claim prior to March 30, 2020, is dismissed as moot.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to a failure to notify the Veteran of his scheduled VA examination. The claims will be further developed to ensure proper notification and evaluation.