Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2024

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, finding that his current tinnitus is etiologically related to his military noise exposure. The decision resolves all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, to include unspecified depressive disorder with anxious distress, is granted service connection. The Veteran's tinnitus is also granted service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected tinnitus is currently rated at 10 percent, which is the maximum rating allowed under VA regulations. The appeal for a higher evaluation has been denied.

The Veteran's appeal regarding the timeliness of his March 2021 Notice of Disagreement (NOD) for service connection of tinnitus is dismissed because the claim is pending in a legacy appeal system.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the claim for service connection for tinnitus, so the case is dismissed.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no current disability meeting the VA definition of a hearing loss disability.,The Veteran's tinnitus claim is granted, with reasonable doubt resolved in his favor.

The Board found that the withholding of VA disability compensation benefits for 36 days of drill pay in FY 2020 was proper and denied the Veteran's appeal.

The Veteran's tinnitus is rated at the maximum schedular rating of 10 percent.,A 30 percent disability rating for left inguinal hernia has been granted, effective November 9, 2020. The Veteran also received a separate 10 percent rating for his painful scar.,The Veteran's left inguinal scar is rated at the minimum compensable level of 10 percent.,Service connection was denied for both left and right lower extremity sciatic nerve paralysis.,No service connection was granted.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to his in-service noise exposure, and the Board granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the VA examination and opinion provided by the examiner did not address whether the Veteran's sleep apnea was caused or aggravated by his service-connected tinnitus. Therefore, the case is being remanded for an addendum opinion to correct this error.

The Veteran is entitled to an effective date of November 19, 2019 for the grant of TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's GERD is granted a 10% rating prior to November 6, 2020. The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for sleep apnea and tinnitus due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has found that there are outstanding VA treatment records and pre-decisional duty to assist errors regarding the Veteran's tinnitus claim. The claims for service connection for COPD, OSA, PTSD, anxiety, depression, and a low back condition are remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment during the period on appeal.

The Veteran's neck disability manifested by pain is granted as service-connected.,Tinnitus has been assigned the maximum rating authorized under the applicable diagnostic code and no higher rating can be established without a current VA reexamination.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted due to his service-connected PTSD, tinnitus, and non-compensable tension headaches making him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral tinnitus is related to his in-service noise exposure and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal as the withholding of VA compensation benefits to recoup her separation pay was proper, and no hardship waiver could be granted.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that his current disabilities are at least as likely as not related to his military noise exposure.

The Veteran's TDIU was granted effective January 25, 2021, as the evidence showed he was unable to secure or maintain gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities since that date.