Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2024

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including left lower extremity peripheral artery disease and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, result in the loss of use of both lower extremities. The Board has granted eligibility for specially adapted housing due to these conditions.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is at least a reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran due to evidence showing noise exposure during service.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors, specifically inadequate medical opinions regarding the onset of these conditions.

The Board has determined that new and relevant evidence has been received to warrant readjudication of the service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, chronic left foot disability, chronic right foot disability, acquired psychiatric disorder (including schizoaffective disorder), chronic lumbar spine disorder, chronic cervical spine disorder, chronic left shoulder disorder, chronic left knee disorder, chronic right knee disorder, chronic left ankle disorder, and chronic right ankle disorder. The claims are being remanded for further review.

The Veteran's appeal was denied as his tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss were not rated higher than 10 percent.

The Veteran's hypertension and tinnitus claims are being remanded due to the need for additional evidence, particularly medical records from a VA clinic in Illinois. The tinnitus claim is also being remanded because of inadequate opinions provided by VA audiologists.

The Veteran's tinnitus disability is granted as service-connected due to exposure during active duty and the presumption of continuity since service.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to a failure to obtain a VA examination, which is necessary to determine if the Veteran's tinnitus is related to service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current condition began in service and is related to his military noise exposure.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence of in-service noise exposure or a nexus between current tinnitus and military service. The Board also found that the Veteran's reported history of tinnitus was not credible.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected due to in-service noise exposure, with the Board finding that the evidence is in approximate balance and granting the benefit of the doubt.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current hemorrhoid condition for VA purposes and therefore denied his claim. The claims for allergic rhinitis, chronic sinusitis, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are remanded due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Veteran's cause of death, respiratory failure, is found to be related to his service-connected conditions (Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, PTSD, tinnitus, and hypertension). The issues of Dependency and Indemnity Compensation under 38 USC 1151 and 38 USC 1318 are dismissed as moot due to the grant of service connection for the cause of death.

The Veteran's TDIU claim for the period prior to March 15, 2023 is denied as there was no evidence showing he was unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected conditions. The TDIU claim from March 15, 2023 onwards is dismissed as moot because a new claim for TDIU was filed and adjudicated after the original rating decision.

The Veteran's tinnitus is related to service and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's TDIU, initial evaluations for peripheral neuropathy in the right and left lower extremities, diabetes, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss are granted. The effective dates for these determinations are September 25, 2018.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus on a direct basis, as the Veteran's continuous symptoms since service separation are presumed due to in-service acoustic trauma.

The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus due to incomplete medical records and insufficient VA examination opinions. The Veteran's exposure to hazardous noise in service is established, but additional development is needed to determine if his current hearing loss and tinnitus are related to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a current diagnosis of these conditions.,Service connection for anxiety disorder has been granted, with the Board finding that the Veteran had chronic anxiety starting during service.

The Veteran's tinnitus was found to have started during his active duty service and has continued since then, warranting the grant of service connection.