Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2025

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, finding that it did not manifest in or shortly after service and is unrelated to his service, including any in-service noise exposure.

The Board denied service connection for right ear hearing disorder, dry eye disorder, and urinary disorder. Tinnitus was granted, but the Veteran's left knee degenerative joint disease, right knee patellofemoral pain syndrome, left knee degenerative joint disease with instability, right shoulder bicipital tendonitis, and left shoulder bicipital tendonitis do not warrant increased ratings.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are of such nature and severity as to preclude his participation in any regular substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and occupational experience, warranting a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Veteran's service-connected depressive disorder renders him unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment, granting a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) for the purposes of special monthly compensation.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's tinnitus had its onset in service with continuity of symptomatology since his separation from service. The claims for right and left ear hearing loss were remanded for further examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's appeal for revision of a September 2018 rating decision on the basis of clear and unmistakable error (CUE) to grant service connection for tinnitus, as well as an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for tinnitus.

The Board denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus and remanded several other claims, including those for PTSD, insomnia, fatigue, migraines with tension headaches, right elbow disorder, and right ankle disorder.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss, both related to in-service noise exposure.

The Board denied service connection for lumbosacral strain and bilateral hearing loss, but granted service connection for tinnitus. The claims for right knee strain and left knee strain were remanded.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD and granted service connection for tinnitus.

The Board denied service connection for tinnitus as the evidence did not support a finding that it manifested during or was related to the Veteran's active service.

The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance, effective December 8, 2025.

The Board granted earlier effective dates of service connection for the veteran's left knee strain extension, right knee strain extension, left knee strain flexion, right knee strain flexion, left knee subluxation, right knee subluxation, left shoulder strain, and tinnitus back to February 16, 2023.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus due to a lack of evidence showing he currently has tinnitus. The chest condition claim was remanded for further development.

The Veteran was granted special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for aid and attendance from July 28, 2023, through September 21, 2024.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral tinnitus and denied increased ratings for the Veteran's lumbar spine disability, radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, linear midline lumbar surgical scar, and bilateral hearing loss. However, the Board granted service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder secondary to a service-connected lumbar spine disability and a separate 10 percent rating for radiculopathy of the right lower extremity.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.

The Board granted an effective date of April 14, 2023, for the award of service connection for tinnitus, tension headaches, right and left knee strains, and right and left hip strains.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, resolving reasonable doubt in the Veteran's favor.

The appeal for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was dismissed due to a concurrent election of review options under the Appeals Modernization Act, and the claim for tinnitus was denied as there is no evidence linking the condition to service.