Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current diagnosis is related to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions, including major depressive disorder, migraine headaches, bilateral hearing loss, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and tinnitus with BPPV, have combined to prevent him from obtaining or maintaining a substantially gainful course of employment. The Board has granted TDIU for the period from April 15, 2023.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for tinnitus service connection is denied as the earliest date of entitlement is November 30, 2020. The rating for tinnitus remains at 10%.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) due to his service-connected disabilities, finding that the evidence did not show he was unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was denied due to failure to appear for a VA examination. The claim for tinnitus was granted as the Veteran reported experiencing symptoms during and after service. The Veteran's post vagotomy gastric surgery syndrome with pyloroplasty, duodenal ulcer and IBS was evaluated at 40 percent, which is the maximum rating available under Diagnostic Code 7348.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be etiologically related to service, and the Board grants entitlement to service connection for tinnitus.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to a failure of the Veteran to appear at scheduled VA examinations. The claims will be addressed on their merits.

The Veteran requested to withdraw his appeal concerning increased ratings for left ear hearing loss and tinnitus, resulting in the dismissal of this appeal.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for erectile dysfunction, finding that it is caused by his service-connected conditions.

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

The Board has granted secondary service connection for balance disorder and remanded the claims for tinnitus and TBI rating. The Veteran's balance impairment is related to his TBI, cluster headaches, back disability, and bilateral lower extremity radiculopathy.

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

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including prostate cancer with bladder cancer and major depressive disorder, have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment from January 1, 2021. The combined disability rating is at least 60 percent, meeting the criteria for TDIU and SMC.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are denied. The Board found no current diagnosis of fibromyalgia, IBS, or bilateral hearing loss during the period on review. Service connection is granted for tinnitus but denied for other conditions.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a back condition including osteoarthritis, degenerative joint disease, degenerative disc disease, spondylolisthesis, intervertebral disc syndrome, and status-post lumbar laminectomy, and degenerative arthritis of the bilateral hands. The evidence did not establish that these conditions were incurred or aggravated by service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but has remanded the claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to lack of a medical opinion and outstanding records.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is granted from November 21, 2019. The right hip disability service connection claim is remanded due to duty-to-assist errors.

The Veteran's osteoarthritis, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus were not shown as chronic in service or within the applicable presumptive period. The evidence is not in approximate balance.,Service connection for osteoarthritis, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus was denied due to lack of a showing of chronicity during service or within the applicable presumptive period.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is at least in approximate balance as to whether these conditions were incurred during active duty and periods of ACDUTRA and INACDUTRA.

The Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral foot disability, including pes planus and plantar fasciitis, are granted as service-connected. The tinnitus is presumed to have started during service, while the bilateral foot disability is found to be aggravated by service.