Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2026

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current tinnitus is related to his military service, granting service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis of tinnitus is at least as likely as not related to her active service. However, the Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to a lack of evidence showing the presence of a disability during or recent to the pendency of the claim.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, finding that it is at least as likely as not that the condition began within a year of separation from active duty.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD with depressive disorder and tinnitus are rated at 70% and 10%, respectively, effective December 13, 2024. The Board has granted a TDIU based on these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, particularly his back disability and PTSD, have rendered him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment.

An effective date of November 12, 2023 is awarded for a 70 percent rating for Generalized Anxiety Disorder and for entitlement to Total Disability Rating for Compensation Based on Individual Unemployability.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is currently rated as noncompensable, with the most recent audiometric testing showing Level I hearing acuity in both ears.,The Veteran's tinnitus with insomnia has been assigned a 10 percent rating since November 18, 2024. The Board finds that additional evidence and an addendum medical opinion are needed to determine if a higher rating is warranted.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions have been granted, including peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities, tinnitus, cholecystectomy with residuals, small bowel resection with residuals, and obstructive sleep apnea. The appeals were dismissed for temporomandibular joint condition.,Service connection was established for all other conditions on a direct basis due to their onset during service or being directly caused by pre-existing conditions.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a left shoulder condition, a lower back condition, and tinnitus due to pre-decisional duty to assist errors.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability, tinnitus, and prostate cancer. However, these disabilities were not incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for all the issues related to tinnitus, left chronic knee pain, right chronic knee pain, chronic right foot pain with arthritis and/or neuropathy/numbness, and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to a lack of probative value in the December 2019 VA audiological examination report.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment prior to June 19, 2012.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for tinnitus, lumbar spine disability, psychiatric disorder, and TDIU due to issues with the adequacy of the medical opinions provided and the failure to fulfill the duty to assist.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for PTSD was denied, and the Board found that he is unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities. The TDIU claim was granted.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no persuasive evidence to support a link between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss, insomnia disorder, degenerative arthritis of the spine with intervertebral disc syndrome and lumbosacral strain, labyrinthitis with paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), left lower extremity radiculopathy, right lower extremity radiculopathy, and tinnitus, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the threshold criteria for a serious injury, thus denying his appeal seeking PCAFC eligibility.

The Veteran's tinnitus and thoracolumbar strain are granted service connection as they were incurred during his active military service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development to address incomplete service treatment records and clarify his periods of active duty, including his time in the Marine Corps Reserve. The rating for tinnitus remains denied as it already meets the maximum schedular evaluation.