Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2024

The Veteran's tinnitus is related to in-service acoustic trauma, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings were denied. The tinnitus and psoriasis with scarring are rated at the maximum allowed under VA regulations, while the acquired psychiatric disorder is not rated higher due to a lack of evidence showing impairment beyond what is already covered by the current rating.

The Veteran's appeal for SMC at the intermediate rate was granted, with two half-steps awarded due to service-connected depressive disorder and obstructive sleep apnea. The Veteran is already entitled to a full step (SMC-L) based on his need for aid and attendance.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and migraines due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran's service connection claims are being returned to the AOJ for further development.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received to warrant readjudication of the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The AOJ is instructed to obtain addendum opinions addressing the nature and etiology of the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus, considering his continued exposure to noise after the separation examination.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to have started during service and has been continuous since then, granting service connection for tinnitus.

The Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus did not result in the need for regular aid and attendance of another person, so SMC based on aid and attendance is denied.

The Veteran's asthma was granted an increased rating to 30 percent effective November 19, 2019. Service connection for sleep apnea and tinnitus were also granted.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and left ear hearing loss, finding that there is no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's tinnitus was found to have manifested within the first year after discharge from service, meeting the criteria for presumptive service connection.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded due to the need for referral to the Director of Compensation Service for extraschedular consideration. The Veteran has multiple service-connected disabilities, but his combined rating does not meet the schedular requirements for a TDIU during any period on appeal.

The Board has decided to remand all the claims related to migraine headaches and its secondary conditions due to inadequate medical records prior to service and a need for further examination.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence of in-service onset or a link to active service. The Veteran's tinnitus was not shown during service and did not manifest within one year of separation. The VA examiner concluded that the Veteran's tinnitus is less likely related to his active service due to lack of complaints of tinnitus in service records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, headaches, and tinnitus due to inadequate opinions and potential duty-to-assist errors.

The Board has granted the veteran's claim for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities. However, SMC by reason of being housebound is denied as he does not meet the criteria.

The Veteran is granted TDIU effective September 27, 2019. The effective date for DEA eligibility is also set to September 27, 2019.,An initial rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus is denied.

The Veteran's SMC based on housebound status and need for regular aid and attendance from June 11, 2021, but no earlier is granted. The Veteran was already in receipt of SMC housebound benefits during a prior period.

The Board has remanded the claims for tinnitus and erectile dysfunction due to inadequate opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran's service as a cannon crewmember is conceded, but there are concerns about the adequacy of the VA examination reports.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (PTSD, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss) render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation consistent with his education and work history. Therefore, the Board has granted a TDIU.

The Veteran's TDIU claim from September 24, 2021 to the present is dismissed as moot because he already had a 100% schedular rating and SMC at the housebound rate. The one-year period prior to September 24, 2021 for establishing eligibility for SMC was denied due to no single service-connected disability causing unemployability.