Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2026

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and OSA.,For the right ankle fracture with tendonitis claim, the Board has remanded to obtain a new examination.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to conflicting medical opinions regarding the etiology of the Veteran's tinnitus, specifically whether it is related to his active duty service or not. The case will be returned for an addendum opinion from a medical examiner.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is remanded due to a duty to assist error. The missing element is whether the Veteran has a diagnosis for the disability.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and denied service connection for hearing loss, back disability, right shoulder disability, left shoulder disability, right knee disability, right leg disability, right hip disability, and left hip disability. The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to in-service noise exposure, while his other disabilities are not linked to service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral tinnitus and severe headaches due to inconsistencies in the Veteran's reports of noise exposure during service and onset of symptoms. The case is being remanded for an addendum medical opinion considering these factors.

The Board has determined that the Veteran is eligible for enrollment in the PCAFC program due to his need for personal care services and supervision based on his medical conditions, including cognitive impairment.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service-connected, with the Board finding that these conditions began during military service.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service-connected.,The Veteran's right ear hearing loss is denied as not being aggravated by service.,The Veteran's neck disability is denied.

The Board has remanded the case due to a duty to assist error, specifically failing to obtain an adequate medical opinion on whether the Veteran's recurrent tinnitus is proximately due or aggravated by his service-connected hypertension.

The Veteran's tinnitus, left ankle condition, right ankle condition, right knee condition, right shoulder condition, and thoracolumbar spine condition are all granted as service-connected.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based upon individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities (TDIU) as there is no evidence that he is unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected conditions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a fractured right 5th metatarsal, hearing loss, and tinnitus due to lack of current disability and insufficient evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board dismissed the appeals regarding hearing loss, tinnitus (claimed as ringing of ears), sleep apnea syndromes, and insomnia due to untimeliness. The Veteran filed a Notice of Disagreement on September 26, 2025, more than one year after receiving notification of the rating decision.

The Board has decided that service connection is granted for tinnitus. However, the claim for bilateral hearing loss remains pending and requires further examination.

The Board has granted service connection for low back, right shoulder, left-hand, and tinnitus disabilities. The claim for right ear hearing loss is remanded due to the grant of service connection for tinnitus. The claims for neck disability, right knee disability, and left knee disability are also remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for tinnitus, OSA, and ED due to inadequate medical opinions. The Veteran's tinnitus claim is denied as there is no probative positive nexus opinion in the record. For OSA and ED, the VA examination provided was inadequate and does not address potential aggravation or intermediate steps.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for obstructive sleep apnea as secondary to his service-connected depressive disorder with anxious distress due to tinnitus and insomnia disorder is being remanded. The Board found the provided medical opinion insufficient and requested a new one from VA clinicians.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for bilateral tinnitus is dismissed as he has withdrawn his appeal.,The Veteran's claim for a compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to May 3, 2006, is denied.,The Veteran's claim for a disability rating of 10 percent, but no higher, for bilateral hearing loss from May 3, 2006, to November 2, 2023, is granted.,The Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss from November 3, 2023, and continuing, is denied.,The Veteran's claim for Total Disability Rating Based on Unemployability (TDIU) due to service-connected disabilities is granted.

The Veteran's lumbosacral strain was granted service connection with a 20% disability rating. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and left knee disability were denied.