Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2024

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities, finding that there is not sufficient evidence to substantiate a reasonable possibility that he is unemployable by reason of his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection. The issue of bilateral shin splints is remanded for further development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for low back disability, left knee disability, right ankle disability, kidney disease, heart disease, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and acquired psychiatric disorder due to inadequate efforts in scheduling VA examinations.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted.,Further evaluations or determinations are needed on the issues of low back disability, Meniere's disease, sleep apnea, and kidney disability.

The Veteran's hypertension is granted as a result of new and material evidence being received, with the condition having manifested to at least a 10% level during service.,Service connection for tinnitus is granted based on onset in service.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is denied because he was not rendered unemployable due to only one service-connected disability, but rather multiple disabilities including his neck and back pain.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. Service connection was granted for both conditions.,For allergic rhinitis, a noncompensable rating was initially assigned in September 2014. The Veteran requested an increased rating, which resulted in a 10 percent rating effective March 31, 2014.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and has remanded the remaining issues due to lack of VA treatment records.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, in combination, rendered him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation consistent with his education and work history for the entire appeal period prior to December 14, 2018.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including asthma, migraines, PTSD, and TBI-related conditions, have rendered him unable to secure or maintain substantially gainful employment for the appeal period from May 14, 2018, to September 7, 2021, and from September 18, 2021, to September 7, 2022. Effective September 7, 2021, he is in receipt of a 100% combined schedular disability rating.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted, and he is also awarded special monthly compensation based on anatomical loss and loss of use due to his erectile dysfunction. The claims for increased ratings for colitis and lumbosacral strain are dismissed.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for histoplasmosis, PTSD and depressive disorder are dismissed.,Service connection is granted for tinnitus and erectile dysfunction as secondary to a service-connected psychiatric condition. Service connection is denied for the lumbar spine disorder and pes planus.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened, but the Board has determined that additional verification of his identity and periods of active service is needed before the issues can be addressed on their merits.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorders are caused and aggravated by his service-connected disabilities. The Board has granted the claim for service connection, but the effective date of the TDIU is remanded due to insufficient clinical evidence.

The Board has decided that additional development is needed for the Veteran's claims, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and updated VA treatment records. The Veteran will also be scheduled for a VA examination to assess his service-connected psychiatric disorder and lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's claims for an increased rating of PTSD and TDIU were dismissed because they were not pending at the time of her death, as service connection for PTSD had already been granted.

This decision dismisses the Veteran's appeal for an increased disability rating for Pseudofolliculitis Barbae. The Veteran's tinnitus and headaches are granted service connection, but his left ear hearing loss, depressive disorder with anxiety, cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, and scar on the head remain remanded for further development.,Service connection is granted for tinnitus due to in-service noise exposure. Headaches are also granted as related to an in-service fall.

The Board has denied service connection for right ear hearing loss and remanded the cases of left ear hearing loss and tinnitus due to insufficient evidence. The claims are now pending again, requiring further development including toxic exposure evaluations.

The Veteran's death was caused by a toxic level of medication, and the Board is remanding to obtain medical records and provide an opinion on whether his service-connected disabilities or medications contributed to his death.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to inadequate medical opinions that did not consider the Veteran's military occupational specialty as a cannoneer, which had a high probability of noise exposure. The VA is required to obtain a new medical opinion from an appropriate examiner.