Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2023

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including major depressive disorder, right and left knee conditions, hip and ankle arthritis, tinnitus, and other impairments, render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board finds that the criteria for a TDIU are met.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus. The cases of bilateral hearing loss and diabetes mellitus type II are remanded due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the case for further examination regarding bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient rationale provided by the VA examiners regarding the relationship between the Veteran's service-connected disabilities and his obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The examiner is requested to provide an opinion on causation, aggravation, obesity, and whether a service-connected disability caused or aggravated obesity.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to April 25, 2021.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted. His claim for presumptive service connection for hypertension as due to exposure to herbicide agents is also granted, with the PACT Act being applied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is service-connected, but has remanded for further examination regarding his bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are found to have been incurred during service due to exposure to acoustic trauma from small arms fire, aircraft noise, and armor vehicle noise. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the issue of service connection for a lumbar spine disability due to incomplete examination and treatment records.

The Board dismissed the claims of right upper extremity numbness, diabetes mellitus, type II, erectile dysfunction, hypertension, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss for accrued benefits purposes.,Service connection was granted for kidney cancer (renal cell carcinoma) due to radiation exposure during service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service-connected, with the Board resolving all doubts in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation from December 19, 2017, to November 14, 2018. The Board granted a TDIU for this period.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral tinnitus and a stomach disability, to include chronic diarrhea. The Veteran's claims are supported by his competent and credible statements regarding the onset of these conditions during service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are related to in-service acoustic trauma and resolving all doubts in his favor.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on unemployability due to service-connected disabilities prior to March 29, 2018. The issue of entitlement to a TDIU from March 29, 2018 was dismissed as moot.

The Veteran's service connection claims for tinnitus, traumatic brain injury, and acquired psychiatric disability are all granted. The claim for traumatic brain injury is denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The Board found that the Veteran was not entitled to higher ratings for tinnitus, residuals of shell fragment wound (SFW) of the left index finger, or scars associated with SFW. Service connection for PTSD was granted.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is dismissed as his service-connected disabilities, including a 100% rating for heart disease, render him unable to work. The appeal on the matter must be dismissed.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and has remanded the remaining issues due to insufficient evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the schedular criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) during the appeal period. The Board found that the Veteran was gainfully employed throughout the appeal period and did not have sufficient evidence to grant TDIU.