Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2023

Service connection for a neck condition and right shoulder condition is denied.,The Veteran's tinnitus claim is granted, but the issue of service connection for bilateral ear condition to include bilateral hearing loss needs further examination.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The hypertension and tinnitus cases did not meet the criteria for higher ratings, while the migraine headaches claim was granted a 30 percent rating effective from June 7, 2021. The lumbar spine disability received a compensable rating.

An effective date of August 20, 2013 was granted for the grant of service connection for tinnitus.,The claim for service connection for diverticulitis was reopened and is now pending.

The Board has remanded the claims due to additional evidence being submitted after the January 2020 Statement of the Case. The AOJ must review this new evidence and issue a Supplemental Statement of the Case (SSOC).

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, headaches, hypertension, and neuropathy of all extremities is granted. The claim for increased rating for tinnitus in excess of 10 percent is denied.

The Veteran's tinnitus is related to his military service and granted.,The Veteran's ischemic heart disease, diagnosed as coronary artery disease, is presumed to be due to in-service exposure to an herbicide agent (Agent Orange) and is granted.,The Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II, is presumed to be due to in-service exposure to an herbicide agent (Agent Orange) and is granted.,The Veteran's skin cancer is related to his military service and is granted.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis of subjective tinnitus had its onset during his military service and continues to the present time.

The Board has identified three pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors and has remanded the claims for additional development. The Veteran's service treatment records, audiograms, and VA audiological examination are to be obtained and reviewed.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to in-service acoustic trauma. The decision is based on current diagnoses of hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as consistent reports from the Veteran regarding when these symptoms began.

The Veteran's claim for PCAFC benefits is being remanded due to unclear reasons and bases in the denial, as well as a need to clarify eligibility based on new legal criteria set by the Federal Circuit.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service-connected, with no specific exposure basis provided.

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple service-connected conditions, including Parkinson's disease and major depressive disorder. The Board has remanded several issues for further review due to the complexity of his case.

The Board has granted the Veteran's petition to readjudicate his claim for service connection for tinnitus, finding that new and relevant evidence supports a grant of this claim. The Veteran's tinnitus is presumed incurred due to in-service noise exposure.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for right ear hearing loss, tinnitus to include as secondary to hearing loss, pharyngitis, sinus disability, and psychiatric disability due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.,The Veteran's current left ear hearing loss is not shown at any time during or proximate to the appeal period.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for tinnitus is denied as there was no prior informal or formal claim received by VA before February 23, 2022.

An effective date of November 5, 2007 is granted for the award of service connection for tinnitus. The claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus has been denied. The Board has also remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between his current disabilities and his military service.

The Board has granted effective dates of July 1, 2016 for the service connection of tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, low back disability, left lower extremity radiculopathy, right lower extremity radiculopathy, linear scar from hernia surgery, adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depression, migraine headaches, epididymitis, and residual scar from hernia operation.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to inadequate examination opinions. The VA examiner was asked to provide an opinion on whether the Veteran's current diagnoses are related to his military service, specifically hazardous noise exposure.