Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2024

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claims for service connection for a right testicular disability, tinnitus, and dental trauma to include TMJ. The claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, low back disability, dyspepsia, eye disorder, headaches, left wrist condition, neck condition, right shoulder condition, and traumatic brain injury are remanded due to outstanding VA treatment records.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for respiratory disability and tinnitus due to lack of development, including obtaining VA treatment records and determining asbestos exposure during service. The Veteran is also seeking a hearing on his appeal.

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 these conditions being related to his active duty service.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinions and new evidence, including a finding of qualifying deployments under the PACT Act. The Veteran's sleep apnea is being evaluated for direct service connection as well as secondary to his service-connected PTSD, TBI residuals, migraine headaches, or tinnitus.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, when taken together, prevent him from securing or following a 'substantially gainful' occupation given his prior vocational history and the impact of his service-connected right foot disabilities (i.e., pes planus, hallux valgus, and hallux rigidus), left foot disability(status post fracture with hallux valgus), back disability, right and left lower extremity radiculopathy, tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, right foot and back scars, and GERD, when taken together, have on obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful non-sedentary employment and sedentary employment, including in his past employment as a police officer.

The Board denied the Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The effective dates for his service connection awards for hypertension, gynecomastia, and a left shoulder burn scar were all set to September 23, 2015.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral dry eyes with light sensitivity, tinnitus, left ear hearing loss, allergic rhinitis, cervical spine degenerative disease, recurrent right wrist tendonitis, fractured base of the fifth metacarpal of the right hand, asthma with obstructive sleep apnea, and GERD have all been granted effective December 1, 2017.,The Veteran's claims for service connection for bronchitis, a right shoulder disability, left wrist disability, left hand disability (claimed as osteoarthritis and tendonitis), and a left knee disability were denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including IBS, left shoulder rotator cuff syndrome with subdeltoid bursitis, tinnitus, right and left knee arthritis, and bilateral hearing loss, have prevented him from securing or following substantially gainful employment for the appeal period from January 19, 2016, through November 4, 2019. The Board finds that his service-connected conditions alone are sufficient to meet the criteria for a TDIU on an extraschedular basis and excluding periods of temporary total rating.

The Board found that the withholding of VA disability compensation benefits for training days in FY 2004 and FY 2014 was proper based on concurrent pay, and denied both appeals.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted service connection, but the cervical spine disability issue requires further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's service-connected heart disabilities did not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation consistent with his education and work history, thus the TDIU claim is denied.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for obstructive sleep apnea was granted with a 50% rating effective December 12, 2015. The earlier effective date of September 15, 2015 is based on the evidence showing use of a breathing assistance device (CPAP).

The Veteran's major depressive disorder is found to be secondary to his service-connected traumatic brain injury.,Obesity was not determined to be a compensable disability for VA purposes.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss disability and tinnitus, but denied service connection for left ear hearing loss disability.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's tinnitus had its onset during service and is related to in-service noise exposure. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings have been denied. Effective dates earlier than June 30, 2017, are not warranted.,Service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus is granted with effective date of June 30, 2017.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for migraine headaches, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus due to incomplete development of evidence and need for additional medical opinions.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's symptoms began during his military service and have continued since.

The Board has denied service connection for tinnitus and remanded the remaining claims due to insufficient evidence. The Veteran's heart disability, hypertension, and anemia are also being remanded for further examination.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including lumbar spondylosis, PTSD, insomnia, adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, right shoulder arthritis and impingement syndrome, left heel spur, and tinnitus, have rendered him unable to obtain or maintain gainful employment since July 1, 2022. The Board has granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.