Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2024

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss and tinnitus, but denied service connection for right ear hearing loss. The appeal for service connection of a bilateral shoulder disability is dismissed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are service-connected, as there is at least a 50% probability that these conditions were incurred during his military service.

The claim for an initial increased disability rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD is denied.,The claim for an initial increased disability rating in excess of 10 percent for hearing loss is denied.,The claim for an initial increased disability rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus is denied.,The claim for an initial compensable disability rating for allergic rhinitis is denied.,The claim for service connection for TBI is denied.,The claim for service connection for a bilateral foot disability, to include flat foot pain, is denied.,The claim for service connection for a right ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain is granted.,The claim for service connection for xerosis cutis is granted.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was denied because the evidence did not show that his service-connected disabilities alone rendered him unemployable, despite meeting the schedular criteria for a TDIU.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, an eye condition, major depressive disorder (MDD), and left knee patellofemoral pain syndrome. The evidence did not meet the criteria for establishing these conditions as incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to active service. The decision was based on the Veteran's exposure to noise during her military occupational specialty and her continuous report of tinnitus since service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral tinnitus is being remanded due to missing VA treatment records, specifically the annual pure tone hearing test results from his participation in the Hearing Conservation Program.

The Veteran's appeal centers on his request for an earlier effective date for the additional dependency compensation he receives for his spouse, children, and stepchildren. These benefits are available to all Veterans with qualifying dependents who are in possession of at least a 30 percent combined disability rating.,The Board denied the Veteran's claims as there was no good cause presented to extend the one-year requirement to submit the additional dependency compensation claim.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for left shoulder and back disabilities due to a pre-decisional duty to assist error. The Veteran's tinnitus claim is granted.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a neck condition, pes planus of the right foot, and back condition. The appeal is remanded for further development regarding these issues.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for heart condition was also remanded due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied as he does not have a disability as defined by VA.,The Veteran's claim for lower back disability is denied due to the lack of a current diagnosis.,The Veteran's claim for tinnitus is remanded and requires an addendum opinion from an appropriate clinician.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that new evidence supports a link to in-service noise exposure. The conditions are considered direct service connections.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral tinnitus is related to his active service, resolving all doubts in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not manifest the necessary conditions for SMC based on the need for regular aid and attendance, as he was able to perform daily activities without requiring assistance from another person.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as there are issues with the VA examination reports, including inadequate notice of what is necessary to substantiate a claim based on service in the National Guard, and an incomplete or inaccurate factual premise. The examiner's opinion was also found to be inadequate.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to noise exposure during his military service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to have started during service and has continued since, warranting service connection.,There is no evidence of a current hearing loss disability as defined by VA regulations, thus denying the claim for bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was initially denied in 2014 due to missing service treatment records. After the records were associated with his file, he filed a new claim which was granted effective July 10, 2013.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis of tinnitus is related to his in-service acoustic trauma. The claim was reopened due to new evidence provided after the previous denial.

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