Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2026

The Board has determined that there was clear and unmistakable error in the August 1989 rating decision, which denied service connection for tinnitus. The Veteran's tinnitus is now granted as a result of exposure to acoustic trauma during service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted. The claim for hearing loss is denied.

The Board has granted an effective date of October 6, 2010 for the Veteran's entitlement to special monthly compensation (SMC) based on his need for aid and attendance of another person due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted. The Board finds that the Veteran has a current diagnosis of tinnitus which became manifest in service and has persisted since, granting her claim. For the other issues (right knee disability, left knee disability, back disability), the Board remands them due to insufficient evidence.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus due to inadequate medical opinions regarding their etiology. The Veteran's MOS as a mason is associated with noise exposure, but the VA examiner did not address direct service connection or provide adequate rationale for the opinion on symptoms related to hearing loss.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities precluded him from obtaining or securing substantially gainful employment since November 20, 2015. The effective date for the TDIU is set at November 20, 2015.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), finding that there is no medical evidence to support a claim of causation or aggravation by his service-connected bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus. The Board also found insufficient evidence to establish BPPV as secondary to diabetes mellitus, which the Veteran does not have.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted service connection, as they are related to in-service noise exposure.,Peripheral neuropathy of the upper and lower extremities has also been granted service connection, as it is presumed to be related to herbicide agent exposure during active duty.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (claimed as depression and anxiety) were denied because there was no evidence of a current disability.,Specifically, the Board found that the Veteran did not have a current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss or an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has found new and relevant evidence for the claims of service connection for tinnitus and a lumbar spine disorder, warranting readjudication. The AOJ should obtain a medical opinion to determine the etiology of the Veteran's lumbar spine disorder and readjudicate the merits of both claims.

The Veteran's application for PCAFC benefits was denied due to not meeting the criteria of needing personal care services based on activities of daily living. The Board found that the decision summary and reasoning were inadequate, and thus remanded the case for further review.

The Veteran's service connection claims for PTSD, major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and mild neurocognitive disorder due to traumatic stress are granted. The Veteran's migraine disability is not rated higher than 50 percent. Service connection for tinnitus is granted.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was denied, and the Board found that an earlier effective date is not warranted as she did not have the disability prior to September 12, 2023.

The Veteran's tinnitus, right shoulder impingement syndrome, right knee arthralgia, and right ankle condition have been granted service connection. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss has not been established for VA purposes. An initial rating of 40 percent for lumbar intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS) is granted.

The Veteran's service connection for tinnitus and cervical spine disability is granted, while the appeal for severance of service connection for headaches is restored. The rating for lumbar spine disability remains at 40 percent, with a separate 10 percent rating granted for left lower extremity neurological impairment.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed as he withdrew the appeal in its entirety before a decision was made.

The Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral knee disabilities are found to be related to service. The Veteran's urinary frequency is remanded for further review as it may be secondary to his service-connected anxiety disorder.

Service connection for tinnitus is granted.,Service connection for bronchitis is denied.,An initial disability rating of 70 percent, but no higher, for adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, chronic is granted.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent prior to February 27, 2020. He was denied a TDIU prior to this date.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 60 percent for service-connected big toe ingrown toenail was denied. The Board found that the maximum disability rating under Diagnostic Code 7813 is warranted.,Service connection for tinnitus was granted, with the Board finding that the Veteran had a probability of hazardous noise exposure during service and his symptoms began in-service.