Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2026

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep apnea and entitlement to a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities. The Board found that there was no evidence of in-service onset or association with service, and concluded that the Veteran's current sleep apnea is not related to his PTSD. For the TDIU claim, the Board determined that the Veteran's service-connected conditions did not prevent him from securing and maintaining gainful employment.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be etiologically related to his military service, and the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted with an effective date of August 9, 2023. The Board found that the Veteran was unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities starting from this date.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and tinnitus, finding that there is no competent evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's tinnitus was first diagnosed during service and has continued since then. The Board found that the Veteran's current diagnosis of tinnitus meets the criteria for service connection under a direct theory.

The Veteran was granted a TDIU for the period from January 1, 2020 to September 30, 2023 due to service-connected disabilities preventing him from maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, finding that new and relevant evidence supports a link between in-service noise exposure and current tinnitus.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded due to errors in the pre-decisional file, including a lack of earnings statements from SSA and missing vocational rehabilitation records. The AOJ will need to correct these issues before making a final determination.

The Veteran's tinnitus is related to in-service noise exposure and granted service connection.,Obstructive sleep apnea began during active service and was granted service connection.,Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and hiatal hernia are both linked to service, with symptoms beginning around the 1980s.,Service connection for diverticular disease and diverticulosis is remanded due to lack of direct evidence.,Prostate cancer is related to in-service toxic exposure risk activities involving hydrazine.

The Veteran's tinnitus is related to noise exposure during his military service, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to December 17, 2024, for the grant of service connection for tinnitus was denied as VA did not receive a complete claim until more than one year after the receipt of an intent to file a claim.

The Veteran's claim for a 10 percent rating for hypertension is granted. Service connection for prediabetes, basal cell carcinoma, tinnitus, and PTSD are all denied.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to outstanding medical records for his service-connected conditions and new claims.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to his service-connected disabilities, finding that they do not preclude him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are rated at the maximum allowable under VA regulations.,The Veteran's left knee disability, right knee osteoarthritis, left shoulder osteoarthritis, and right shoulder osteoarthritis have all been rated appropriately based on their severity.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities did not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, thus denying his claim for TDIU.

The appeal concerning the disability evaluation for pseudofolliculitis barbae and bilateral hearing loss is dismissed.,Service connection for degenerative arthritis of the left knee with instability, tinnitus, and right shoulder tendonitis (claimed as tendonitis in the right shoulder) has been granted.

The Veteran's tinnitus is currently rated at 10 percent, which is the maximum rating available for recurrent tinnitus. The appeal to increase this rating has been denied.

The Veteran's appeal for a compensable rating for chronic diarrhea has been dismissed as the decision was not final and appealable.,The appeals for higher ratings for lumbosacral strain, cervical strain, right ankle lateral collateral ligament sprain, and tinnitus have all been dismissed due to untimely filing of the Notice of Disagreement (NOD).,Service connection for right ear hearing loss has not been established as there is no evidence of a current disability meeting VA's definition of hearing loss.

Your appeals for service connection on several conditions have been dismissed due to the Veteran's death. The appeal will not be resumed unless someone requests substitution.