Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2024

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including coronary artery disease and major depressive disorder, have rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment. The Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus should be remanded due to a failure to provide notice of his right to a hearing with the RO. The matter will be returned to the RO for further action.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation for the period on review.

The Veteran was granted service connection for tinnitus, but denied for bilateral hearing loss and remanded for further review of his claim for general anxiety disorder.,The Veteran's tinnitus is presumed to have started during active service. However, there is no evidence showing a current bilateral hearing loss disability or that it began in service.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeal for service connection due to his withdrawal of the claim for bilateral hearing loss. The remaining claims for tinnitus, multiple joint disorders (shoulders, elbow, back, knees, ankles, feet, toes), and radiculopathy were denied as not supported by evidence of a current disability or a causal relationship to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and right knee condition are both denied as there is no current diagnosis of either condition, and the evidence does not support a finding that they are related to service.

The Veteran's tinnitus is currently rated at 10 percent and the Board has determined that an evaluation in excess of this rating is not warranted.

The Board has granted readjudication of the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that new evidence supports reopening these claims. However, both conditions are denied as there is no persuasive evidence linking them to service.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected due to exposure during active duty.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a right knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus due to new evidence presented by the Veteran.

The Board has remanded the claims for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and tinnitus due to errors in obtaining VA examinations and medical opinions, as well as unclear information about specific exposures during service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim of service connection for tinnitus, finding that it is at least as likely as not related to military noise exposure during active duty.

The Veteran's claim for tinnitus has been granted, as the evidence supports a finding that his current tinnitus is at least as likely as not related to in-service noise exposure.,The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and left lower extremity radiculopathy have been remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding their etiology.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and remanded the cases of bilateral hearing loss and left knee condition.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of somatic symptom disorder with insomnia associated with tinnitus and hearing loss is denied as the criteria are not met.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection as it manifested within one year of separation from service and is considered a presumptive condition.

The Board has determined that the evidence is at least in approximate balance regarding whether service connection for tinnitus should be granted. As such, the benefit of the doubt doctrine applies and the claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted.

The Veteran's death was attributed to multiple blunt force injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident, not related to his service-connected conditions. The Board found no evidence linking the cause of death to active duty or service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU and basic eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance was granted from May 29, 2019. The appellant waived his right to attorney fees based on the August 2020 Rating Decision.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss but denied service connection for tinnitus. The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is related to in-service acoustic noise exposure, while her tinnitus does not appear to be related to active service.