Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2024

The appeals for a higher disability rating and TDIU for recurrent tinnitus have been dismissed due to the appellant's death.

The Veteran's tinnitus and ischemic heart disease have been granted service connection. The decision regarding bilateral hearing loss is pending as the case has been remanded.

The Board has determined that the March 26, 2019 Notice of Disagreement was timely filed and serves to initiate an appeal with respect to the July 2017 rating decision denying service connection for various conditions.

The Veteran's TDIU was granted effective May 15, 2020 due to his service-connected disabilities. The effective date is tied to the date of his claim for service connection for hypothyroidism.

The Veteran's left wrist fracture residuals are related to his active service. The claims for right ear hearing loss and tinnitus are remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether these conditions are related to service due to noise exposure.

The Board has remanded the claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to a duty to assist error in the January 2023 VA examination. The examiner's opinion was based on an inaccurate factual premise regarding the use of ASA or ISO/ANSI standards during in-service audiometric testing.

The appeal with respect to asbestosis is dismissed. Service connection for tinnitus is granted, and a compensable rating for bilateral eye disability is denied. The appeals regarding hearing loss, an acquired psychiatric disorder, left shoulder disability, and upper back/cervical spine disability are remanded.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for service connection of tinnitus as it was already granted in a previous rating decision. The left knee disability claim is denied due to lack of evidence showing its onset during service or being related to an injury, event, or disease incurred in service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral knee degenerative arthritis, tinnitus, insomnia, and benign prostatic hypertrophy were granted with an effective date of May 17, 2019. The Veteran now seeks an earlier effective date.

The Veteran's TDIU claim for prior to October 3, 2011 is denied due to the lack of meeting the schedular requirements.,On and after October 3, 2011, a TDIU was granted. Basic eligibility for Dependents' Educational Assistance under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 35 on and after October 3, 2011 is established.,Effective dates prior to December 26, 2019, for the awards of ratings for lumbar spine osteoarthritis, right lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy, and left lower extremity sciatic nerve radiculopathy are remanded. The issues of effective dates are inextricably intertwined with the remanded issues.,The Veteran's need for aid and attendance or at the housebound rate is also remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his active duty service, granting entitlement to service connection for both conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and the Board has granted entitlement to a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board has decided to remand the cases of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to insufficient evidence in the January 2018 VA examination report.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence to support a nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connection due to a continuity of symptoms since active duty.,Service connection for the right index finger condition is granted based on in-service injury and subsequent continuity of symptomatology.,Service connection for the low back condition is granted due to in-service injuries and continuous symptomatology.

The Veteran's degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine status post fusion with associated bilateral upper extremity radiculopathy is granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's traumatic brain injury with associated chronic post-traumatic headaches is granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of consideration of whether bilateral tinnitus is secondary to service-connected depressive disorder. The Veteran's claim will be reconsidered with an opinion on this theory.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further action regarding his TDIU claim due to incomplete records from the Social Security Administration (SSA).

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and OSA. The Veteran's current conditions are found to be at least as likely as not related to his military service.