Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2024

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to noise exposure during his military service and has been granted service connection.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss is dismissed as the AOJ has already granted it. The Board found in favor of tinnitus, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to in-service hazardous noise exposure. However, the evidence does not support a finding that a-fib began during active service or is otherwise related to an in-service injury or disease.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to have had onset in service and has persisted since, meeting the criteria for service connection.

The Board has denied service connection for tinnitus and remanded the issue of service connection for stress incontinence due to a lack of evidence regarding the etiology of the Veteran's stress incontinence.

The Veteran's asthma is currently rated at 10 percent, but a higher rating of 30 percent has been granted effective from March 9, 2020. The Veteran's TDIU claim based on a single disability was denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for eligibility for specially adapted housing, special home adaptation grant, or financial assistance in purchasing an automobile or other conveyance and adaptive equipment.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, headaches, and asthma. The Veteran's tinnitus is presumed to have been incurred during his Gulf War service. Service connection was also granted for headaches, but the Board found that they are not related to active duty service. Asthma was presumed to have existed prior to service.

The Board has determined that the severance of service connection for tinnitus was improper and has restored it, finding that there was not clear and unmistakable error in the original decision.

The Veteran's claims for SMC based on loss of use of a creative organ, right shoulder pain and Becker mole, hypertension, left lower extremity numbness and tingling, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are denied.,The Board is remanding the issues of service connection for left lower extremity numbness and tingling, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus due to pre-decisional duty-to-assist errors.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, and the Board has granted a TDIU. The lower back disability remains remanded for further examination.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection on several issues due to a late filing of the VA Form 10182, which was more than one year after the original rating decisions.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's tinnitus is service-connected, but has remanded for further development regarding his bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's service connection for sleep apnea, migraines, tinnitus, lumbosacral strain, left knee strain, and posttraumatic stress disorder has been granted with an effective date of October 14, 2019.,An initial rating of 70 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder is also granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for TDIU prior to January 14, 2022 due to his service-connected hearing loss, tinnitus, and vestibular disorder not making him unemployable. From January 14, 2022, the issue of TDIU is dismissed as moot.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis is attributable to his active service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The decision found no current diagnosis of left ear hearing loss, and concluded that right ear hearing loss is not related to military noise exposure. Service connection was granted for tinnitus in a separate rating decision.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and has set the effective date to June 29, 2015, which is the day after the Veteran's discharge from active duty.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis of tinnitus began during active service and is related to his military noise exposure. The claims for headaches and bilateral hearing loss were denied as there was no persuasive evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been submitted since the May 2021 denial, warranting readjudication of the claim for service connection for tinnitus.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to correct a pre-decisional duty to assist error, as the VA examiner's opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are inadequate. The case will be returned for further development.