Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2025

The Board remands the claims for service connection and initial rating due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board granted earlier effective dates of August 21, 2009 for service connection for a TBI with residuals and its associated conditions: migraines, loss of taste, loss of smell, and tinnitus.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus, resolving all doubt in the Veteran's favor and finding it at least as likely as not that his tinnitus is related to his in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) at the intermediate rate between the (m) and (n) rates based on his service-connected conditions.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for a rating in excess of 70 percent for his psychiatric disorder and in excess of 30 percent for his ear disorder, granted a separate 10 percent rating for chronic tinnitus with dizziness and disturbance of balance, and granted individual unemployability due to service-connected disability.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder, as well as a compensable evaluation for left knee scars.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding no evidence to support a link between the conditions and the Veteran's military service. The claim for obstructive sleep apnea was remanded for further development.

The Board denied service connection for tinnitus as there was no evidence of a nexus between the in-service noise exposure and the current condition, and no continuity of symptomatology.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding a link to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran was granted an earlier effective date of August 10, 2022, for the grant of a total disability rating due to individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Board granted service connection for bilateral tinnitus, left foot disorder (flatfoot and plantar fasciitis), right foot disorder (flatfoot and plantar fasciitis), left ankle disorder, left knee disorder, right knee disorder, lumbar spine disorder, left lower extremity radiculopathy, and right lower extremity radiculopathy. The claim for an initial rating in excess of 20 percent for bilateral hearing loss was denied.

The appeal to reverse or revise a July 1990 rating decision that denied service connection for tinnitus on the basis of clear and unmistakable error (CUE) is denied.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as there was no evidence of a current disability or nexus to active service. The right ankle condition was remanded for further development.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus but denied service connection for the remaining conditions.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss. Several issues related to the Veteran's knees, psychiatric condition, right hip, and TDIU were remanded.

The Board remands the matter for a new examination and opinion regarding the Veteran's service connection claim for bilateral tinnitus.

The Board remands the issues of entitlement to a rating in excess of 30 percent for service-connected migraines, a rating in excess of 10 percent for service-connected tinnitus, and service connection for chronic fatigue syndrome due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board granted service connection for left hip osteoarthritis and right hip osteoarthritis as secondary to the Veteran's now service-connected knee disabilities, but denied service connection for a variety of other conditions including bilateral ankle, shoulder, foot, mood disorder, tinnitus, hyperlipidemia, and knees.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus on a presumptive basis, effective immediately. The claim for bilateral hearing loss was remanded for further development.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and remanded the issue of entitlement to service connection for tinnitus.