Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2024

The Board has determined that the evidence is in equipoise, granting service connection for tinnitus as it was caused by or related to military noise exposure.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service-connected tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, finding that the evidence does not support an earlier date than February 23, 2021.

The Board has granted service connection for a lumbar spine disability and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's conditions are at least as likely as not related to his active-duty service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, CAD, diabetes, and related neuropathies, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has granted entitlement to Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) effective from October 26, 2020.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability, finding that the Veteran's current hearing loss did not have its onset during service and was not otherwise related to service.,The Board also denied service connection for bilateral tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current tinnitus did not have its onset during service and was not otherwise related to service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus before the Board could make a decision.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to his military service, granting service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's tinnitus had its onset during service and has persisted since then. The Board granted the claim for service connection based on continuity of symptoms following service.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be at least as likely as not related to his active service, and the Board grants service connection for tinnitus.

The Board has granted service connection for GERD and obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected PTSD, but denied service connection for tinnitus.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a low back disability is being remanded due to the failure to obtain relevant medical records.,An effective date prior to December 2, 2019 for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities has been denied.

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 are related to in-service acoustic trauma.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including patellofemoral pain syndrome, posttraumatic stress disorder, tinnitus, Bell's palsy residuals, abdominal pain and diarrhea, right ankle disability, bilateral hearing loss, folliculitis, temporomandibular joint disease, hyposmia associated with Bell's palsy residuals, loss of taste associated with Bell's palsy residuals, and scar, right lower extremity, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment throughout the appeal period. As such, he is entitled to a TDIU.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus may be related to her military service, but needs further examination and consideration of all evidence.

The Veteran's TDIU was awarded effective November 3, 2020. The Board finds that there has been a pre-decisional duty-to-assist error in failing to consider a TDIU prior to this date and refers the matter for extra-schedular consideration.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection for thyroid cancer, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus as they have already been adjudicated in previous decisions.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran does not have a current disability of BHL. The claim is denied.,The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's tinnitus began during active service and is related to military noise exposure.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for allergic rhinitis, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome due to a duty to assist error. The Veteran is not presumed to have developed these conditions during his service in Afghanistan.

The Board has remanded the claims for a back disability, right ankle disability, and right and left knee disabilities due to insufficient evidence in the current record. The Veteran's service connection claim remains denied as there is no credible evidence of an in-service injury or disease.

The Veteran's appeal regarding the timeliness of a June 2023 VA Form 10182 is dismissed because her Motion for Extension of Time was granted, and she submitted a timely Notice of Disagreement.