Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2024

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was granted. The appeal of the previously denied claim for service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome is denied.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's left hip, right knee (secondary to lower back condition), left knee, left shoulder, right hip, and right shoulder conditions are remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's service connection claims for tinnitus, a back disability, and right foot disability have been granted. The increased rating claim for the right foot disability is remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for eligibility to specially adapted housing (SAH) or special home adaptation (SHA) benefits due to his combined rating of 80 percent.

The Veteran's claims for depression and sleeplessness, both secondary to service-connected tinnitus, have been denied. The claim for anxiety is being remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding its onset in service or post-service incident.,The Veteran's vertigo claim related to his service-connected tinnitus has also been remanded.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service-connected. The claims for allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, low back condition, and left shoulder condition are remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's petitions to readjudicate his claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and lumbar degenerative disk disease as there was no new and relevant evidence presented since the November 2017 rating decision.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to incomplete development of records, including VA audiologist's treatment notes from May 2017. A supplemental opinion is needed to determine if the Veteran's hearing loss was caused or aggravated by his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities, finding that his employment is not in a protected environment and he can secure and follow substantially gainful employment despite his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated at 10 percent, and his tinnitus has been granted service connection. The left eye condition and PDD are both remanded for further evaluation.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to a pre-decisional error in not having a medical opinion regarding whether his service-connected disabilities result in loss of use of one or both feet, or ankylosis of one or both knees or hips. The Board finds the claim should be reconsidered with further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, and the Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) for the entire period on appeal.

The Veteran's right knee disability, diagnosed as degenerative joint disease of the right knee, is granted. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are denied.,For the entire period on appeal, the Veteran's left knee instability with degenerative arthritis status post ACL reconstruction/meniscectomy is granted a 30 percent rating.

The Veteran's tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, acne vulgaris, scar from right knee surgery, and lumbosacral strain with spinal stenosis are all rated at the maximum allowed under VA guidelines. The Board has remanded for further review of these claims.,The Veteran's hearing loss is not compensable as it does not meet the criteria for a higher rating based on audiometric test results. His acne vulgaris and lumbosacral strain with spinal stenosis are also rated at their maximum allowed under VA guidelines, and the Board has remanded these claims.,The Veteran's scar from right knee surgery and scar from lumbar laminectomy do not meet the criteria for a compensable rating as they do not occupy an area of 929 square centimeters or greater.

The Board dismissed the appeal for an increased rating for tinnitus and granted a 70 percent initial rating for PTSD, effective from April 21, 2015.

The Board has determined that the evidence is at least in equipoise as to whether the Veteran's tinnitus initially manifested during active service, and therefore grants service connection for tinnitus.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his active duty service. The decision also finds that the Veteran's tinnitus is secondary to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection as it began in service and has continued since. However, his bilateral hearing loss is denied as the evidence does not show that it was caused by noise exposure during service.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection. The right ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain and right index finger PIP joint conditions are both denied increased ratings, but the left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy claim for an increased rating and TDIU claim are remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the percentage requirements for a schedular TDIU rating. The Board finds there is not sufficient evidence to substantiate a reasonable possibility that the Veteran is unemployable due to service-connected disabilities and that TDIU benefits are not warranted because the Veteran is not unable to obtain and sustain financially gainful employment due to service-connected disabilities.