Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2023

The Board has remanded several claims for service connection due to incomplete records and the need for additional medical examinations.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, finding that his current condition is related to in-service noise exposure and resolving doubt in his favor.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and tinnitus have been granted. The effective dates are set at May 16, 2015.,The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 30 percent for IBS has been denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for a medical opinion regarding the Veteran's need for regular aid and attendance based on her service-connected disabilities.

The Board has denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder and remanded the issue of service connection for tinnitus due to in-service noise exposure.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss as secondary to his service-connected tinnitus disability, finding that there is at least a balance of evidence in favor of this determination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, prostate cancer residuals, tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and erectile dysfunction, have caused him to be unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a TDIU rating.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current tinnitus is at least as likely as not related to his in-service exposure to hazardous noise.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hypertension, due to herbicide exposure during his Vietnam service, has been granted. The claims for other conditions have been reopened and are being remanded.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for right knee disability, left knee disability, scar from a lower lip laceration, tinnitus, and unspecified back disability. The evidence did not support a finding that any of these conditions began during active service or were related to in-service injuries or diseases.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted on a presumptive basis due to herbicide agent exposure. The appeal for TDIU prior to July 7, 2009 is dismissed as moot.

The Veteran's appeal for higher ratings on several service-connected disabilities has been remanded due to the need for additional examinations and consideration of new evidence.,An earlier effective date claim for DEA benefits was dismissed as moot.

The Board denied service connection for a cervical spine disability and left hip disability as there is no current diagnosis of these conditions.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was also denied due to the lack of evidence meeting VA standards for hearing loss.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) was denied. The Board found that there is no current TBI and the lay reports were not competent to establish the existence of a current disability. For the issue of total disability rating based upon individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities prior to September 14, 2015, the Veteran's combined schedular disability rating did not meet the minimum requirements for consideration under 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(a). The Board found that the Veteran was unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected disabilities prior to September 14, 2015.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling an examination to assess the severity of his hearing loss and left knee conditions.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's left knee disability is granted as service-connected.,A 50% rating for migraine headaches is granted.,Service connection for PTSD is remanded due to lack of evidence.,An initial rating in excess of 10% for degenerative arthritis of the left ankle is remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus. The remaining issues on appeal are remanded due to procedural errors and the need for additional examinations.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including his psychiatric condition and various musculoskeletal issues, did not preclude him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment. The Board found that the Veteran had a solid foundation for employment based on his education and work history, despite some limitations due to his disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment from January 14, 2013 to January 5, 2017. The Board has granted TDIU for this period.

The Board has remanded the service connection claims for diabetes mellitus, type II and related secondary conditions due to issues arising from the PACT Act development. The other service connection claims are also being remanded for further development.