Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2024

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be related to service, granting service connection for these conditions.,Service connection is granted for the Veteran's headaches. The Board finds that a VA examination is needed to determine if his current hand/wrist disabilities are related to service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted service connection, while his lichen simplex chronicus is granted a noncompensable initial rating.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are granted as service connected.,The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected.

The Veteran's hypertension, tinnitus, and diabetes mellitus have been granted service connection. However, the initial compensable rating for hypertension has been denied.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and a sinus disorder is denied due to lack of evidence meeting VA criteria for these conditions during or approximate to the appeal period.,The Veteran's tinnitus was found to have begun during service and has been continuous since then, granting service connection. Service connection for diabetes mellitus is also granted.,Service connection for bilateral eye disorder, sleep disorder (including insomnia and sleep apnea), headache disorder, thyroid disorder, and respiratory disorder remains pending as remanded by the Board.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from engaging in substantially gainful employment, as he is employed and has provided no evidence to support his claim for TDIU.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the previously denied claim for service connection for a back disorder. The claims for service connection for other conditions are being remanded for further development.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for PTSD was denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a higher rating, as his symptoms were consistent with a 70% disability rating.

The Veteran's claim for a compensable disability rating for deafness, bilateral, neural type is denied.,The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus is denied. The Board finds that an extraschedular evaluation is not applicable to the facts of this case.,The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to January 13, 2015, for the award of a 10 percent rating for tinnitus is denied.

The Board has remanded the claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, as there is a reasonable possibility that he may be unemployable by reason of his service-connected conditions. The TDIU issue will now be referred to VA's Director of Compensation Service for extraschedular consideration.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral redness of the eyes, bilateral vision loss, bilateral hearing loss, and bilateral tinnitus have been dismissed due to a withdrawal by the Veteran. The remaining issues are remanded.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and consideration of his symptoms and medical history.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted. The claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, bilateral knee disability, and back disability are remanded.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to obtain missing service treatment records and VA treatment records, as well as to schedule the Veteran for a psychiatric examination.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding no evidence of a current disability. Service connection for tinnitus is granted based on the Veteran's credible testimony that he experienced symptoms during service and they have persisted since.

The appeals for a higher disability rating for PTSD and entitlement to TDIU have been dismissed.,The appeal for an earlier effective date for tinnitus has also been dismissed.

The Veteran was granted a TDIU from July 14, 2016 to December 20, 2016 due to his service-connected psychiatric and heart disabilities. Prior to this period, the criteria for a TDIU were not met as he could still secure and follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing and following substantially gainful employment, as evidenced by his retirement due to age rather than disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation during the period from August 30, 2016 to October 6, 2021.

The Board has reopened the previously denied claims of entitlement to service connection for tinnitus, an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as drug addiction), and a low back disability. The new evidence submitted by the appellant raises a reasonable possibility of substantiating these claims.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals regarding increased ratings and effective dates for various conditions, including obstructive sleep apnea, degenerative arthritis of the spine, GERD, right lower extremity radiculopathy, left lower extremity radiculopathy, hypertension, vitiligo, tinnitus, anal fissures, a jaw disorder, and erectile dysfunction. The appeals are dismissed.