Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2025

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation, granting a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board denied the Veteran's petitions to readjudicate previously denied claims for service connection due to a lack of new and relevant evidence.

The Board granted service connection for diabetes mellitus type II due to Agent Orange exposure and granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, while remanding an increased rating claim for residuals of prostate cancer (voiding dysfunction).

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus, bilateral flat feet, and readjudicated the claims for a lower back condition, right leg numbness and pain, and left leg numbness and pain based on new and relevant evidence.

The Board denied service connection for right ear hearing loss disability and tinnitus, finding that the evidence did not support a link between these conditions and in-service noise exposure.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's symptoms had their onset during service or were directly caused by in-service noise exposure.

The Board granted a 50 percent rating for migraines associated with tinnitus effective December 11, 2023.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus, post-operative residuals of cervical spine surgery, L5 bilateral spondylosis with grade 1 anterolisthesis, moderate-severe foraminal stenosis, left hip osteoarthritis, right carpal tunnel syndrome, left carpal tunnel syndrome, left lateral collateral ligament sprain, pes planus, and type II diabetes mellitus. The service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and denied it for right foot pes planus, while remanding the claim for a recurrent right foot disability to include corns.

The Board denied an initial rating in excess of 70 percent for other specified trauma and stressor related disorder, granted service connection for tinnitus, and denied service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), chronic sinusitis, a respiratory disorder, claimed as respiratory insufficiency and dyspnea, and restless leg syndrome.

The Board denied the Veteran's request for readjudication of service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as new and relevant evidence was not submitted.

The Board denied service connection for tinnitus and bilateral foot strain as the evidence did not support a causal relationship between the current disabilities and the Veteran's military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection for right knee disabilities and tinnitus, as there was no evidence to support an earlier date of entitlement.

The Board denied the Veteran's request to reverse or revise a February 20, 2020, rating decision that denied service connection for tinnitus on the basis of clear and unmistakable error (CUE).

The Board remands the claims for service connection for various conditions, including facial injury with six teeth missing, sinus disability, right eye injury, traumatic brain injury (TBI), bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, acquired psychiatric disability, cirrhosis of the liver, diabetes mellitus type II, and cause of death, as well as Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) benefits under 38 U.S.C. § 1318, to the AOJ for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for a rating in excess of 10 percent for service-connected tinnitus, as the evidence did not support an increase from the maximum schedular rating.

The Board is remanding the claims for entitlement to service connection for indigestion and tinnitus due to a failure by the AOJ to notify the Veteran of his right to request a pre-decisional hearing.

The Board remands the Veteran's claims for a special home adaptation and specially adapted housing due to the need for additional development, specifically an examination to determine the severity of his service-connected disabilities as they relate to loss of use of the extremities.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor. The appeal to establish service connection for bilateral hearing loss was remanded.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and remanded several service connection claims.