Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2024

The Board has granted service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that both conditions had their onset during active duty due to in-service noise exposure.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for left ear hearing loss, right ear hearing loss, and tinnitus due to a lack of evidence showing these conditions were incurred or aggravated by his military service.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, right ear infections, and residuals of a head injury have been readjudicated. The claim for right ear hearing loss on an aggravation basis has also been granted.,The Board found that the evidence is approximately evenly balanced as to whether the pre-existing right ear hearing loss disability was aggravated by service and whether the left ear hearing loss began during active service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral tinnitus but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss. The Veteran's lay reports supported his claim of in-service noise exposure leading to tinnitus, which the Board found as likely as not to have begun during service and continued thereafter. However, there was no evidence of a current hearing disability meeting VA criteria.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis of tinnitus first manifested in service and has continued since then. The decision is based on the Veteran's competent statements regarding ringing in his ears for many years.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable, and the Board denied a compensable rating.,Service connection for tinnitus was granted based on it being secondary to service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence did not support a link between these conditions and active military service.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection as it is present during and after service.,Service connection for left ear hearing loss was denied as there is no current evidence of the required threshold shift in hearing.

The Board has restored service connection for tinnitus, finding that the original grant was not clearly and unmistakably erroneous.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation prior to April 5, 2021. Basic eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 35 is also established.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss is related to his military service and grants entitlement to service connection for this condition.

The Veteran is unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation due to service-connected disabilities, including diabetes, diabetic neuropathy, tinnitus, hearing loss, and hypertension. The Board has granted entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, but the claims for lumbar spine disability, right ankle disability, left ankle disability, right foot disability, and left foot disability are remanded due to a duty to assist error. The claim for OSA is also remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, right foot disability manifested by pain, and left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy. The decision is based on the Veteran's competent and credible lay reports of continuous symptoms since separation from active duty.

The Board has denied an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the issue of service connection for tinnitus prior to May 26, 2024 due to inadequate examination.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including ED, bilateral plantar fasciitis, and hearing loss. The cases are remanded due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated as 100% disabling since November 20, 2019. He also has additional disabilities that combine to at least 60%, qualifying him for special monthly compensation (SMC) at the subsection (s) rate.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss due to a lack of an addendum medical opinion addressing the relationship between the Veteran's current conditions and his active service, specifically noise exposure. The Veteran is seeking service connection for both conditions based on in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus has been dismissed due to their death during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board denied the appellant's requests for effective dates prior to December 8, 2020, for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disorder, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), tinnitus, and a lumbar spine disability due to the failure to submit a completed formal claim within one year of the receipt date of his Intent to File form.