Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2024

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's BPPV with bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus is currently rated at 60 percent, but the Board finds that it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating as there are no attacks of vertigo or cerebellar gait occurring more than once weekly.

The Board denied service connection for left ear hearing loss, right ear hearing loss, and tinnitus as the evidence did not show that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including right knee osteoarthritis and tinnitus, made it impossible for him to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation from August 5, 2011. The Board granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) during this period.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a TDIU due to one service-connected disability, finding that he was not rendered unemployable based on only one of his service-connected disabilities. The decision is binding only with respect to this specific matter and does not establish VA policies or interpretations of general applicability.

The Board denied attorney fees based on past-due benefits awarded in an August 2022 rating decision, as the August 2022 rating decision was the initial decision with respect to all granted issues.

The Veteran withdrew all issues on appeal, including those related to lumbar spine strain, cervical spine strain, left foot strain, right foot strain, migraines, hearing loss, anxiety condition, tinnitus, and gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD).

The appeal for the issue of entitlement to a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss is dismissed. The Veteran's tinnitus is related to his military service and has been granted.

The Veteran's hearing loss is rated at 0 percent (noncompensable) due to the severity of his hearing impairment.,The Veteran's tinnitus is rated at 10 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available. The Veteran seeks a higher rating but cannot meet the criteria for an increased rating under VA regulations.,The Veteran was granted a 50 percent rating for PTSD on December 22, 2020, and the effective date of this grant is set to December 22, 2020. The Veteran argues that he should have received this higher rating earlier.

The Veteran's appeal was denied for an effective date earlier than January 30, 2014 for service connection for tinnitus and TBI.,The Veteran's claim for a higher initial rating for TBI was also denied.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected due to in-service noise exposure and the positive evidence outweighs the negative.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to in-service noise exposure. The VA will provide an opinion regarding the etiology of these conditions, including whether they are related to service.

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

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis is the primary factor in his inability to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation. Other conditions, such as left knee strain, right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, lumbosacral strain, right foot hallux valgus, and left foot hallux valgus, also contribute but do not significantly impact his employability.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for Meniere's syndrome with bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus is granted, effective June 26, 2017. No earlier date of claim was found.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment during the period of March 1, 2006 to August 20, 2018.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and anxiety and major depressive disorder due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors. The Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are related to noise exposure during service, but not directly linked to service. His anxiety and depression may be related to harassment by leadership during service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including persistent depressive disorder with anxious distress, lumbar spine degenerative arthritis, sciatic radiculopathy of the bilateral lower extremities, chronic left ankle sprain, left knee strain, tinnitus, and left hand eczema with resolved cellulitis, do not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is at least evenly balanced as to whether these conditions had onset in service following acoustic trauma.

The Veteran's claim for reimbursement of beneficiary travel expenses to the San Francisco VA Medical Center on September 11, 2024 was granted as he met the criteria for reimbursement.