Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) Board decisions

The Veteran's claim for reimbursement of emergency travel expenses to and from VA medical facilities on January 24, 2018 is granted due to the delay caused by his hospitalization and inability to control the ambulance bill submission process. The Board found reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran regarding his fixed income status.

The Veteran's claim for an initial rating in excess of 10 percent for service-connected tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and PTSD has been denied. The claims for effective dates earlier than March 25, 2015, for the grant of service connection for these conditions have also been denied. The claim for COPD has been reopened due to new evidence submitted. Service connection for tension headaches is granted. Service connection for a back disability and high cholesterol are denied. Service connection for left shoulder and right shoulder disabilities as well as disabilities manifested by left and right hand numbness are not established. The Veteran's TDIU claim related to PTSD is remanded.

The Board has remanded the case due to a dispute over when the Veteran's TDIU should have been granted, and will be reviewed by the Director of Compensation Service for an extraschedular determination.

Service connection is granted for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, both related to in-service noise exposure. Service connection is denied for prostate cancer due to lack of onset during service or within one year post-discharge.,The Veteran's current prostate cancer was diagnosed many years after service discharge.

The Board has denied service connection for cervical spine, bilateral shoulder, bilateral arm, lumbar spine, and myositis of the paralumbar spine muscles disabilities. The claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have also been denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes and peripheral vestibular vertigo have been denied. The Board found no evidence linking the conditions to service, with a focus on the lack of in-service exposure to chemicals that could cause these conditions.

The Board has remanded the issue of service connection for erectile dysfunction as secondary to PTSD and denied a prior effective date claim, finding that the earliest date of receipt of a claim was May 31, 2016.

The Veteran's tinnitus and hypertension are granted service connection.,Service connection for toxic nephropathy, spinal stenosis, and cervical radiculopathy of the bilateral upper extremities is remanded.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU prior to August 27, 2012 was denied as he did not meet the schedular requirements for a TDIU. The effective date for DEA benefits under Chapter 35, Title 38, United States Code was also denied due to lack of basic eligibility.

The claim for an initial compensable disability rating for bilateral hearing loss prior to December 26, 2019 is denied.,The claim for an initial disability rating in excess of 10 percent from December 26, 2019 is denied.,The claim for service connection for a skin disability is remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to inadequate medical opinions in the previous VA examination. The Veteran's lay statements regarding the onset and continuity of his symptoms are not considered, and additional medical opinions are needed.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU was denied as he did not meet the schedular criteria and there is no evidence of unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for neuroendocrine cancer, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, gynecomastia, cognitive impairment, and a gastrointestinal disorder due to in-service herbicide agent exposure. Additional development is required as an addendum opinion from a VA examiner is needed.

The Board has remanded the cases for readjudication due to new evidence added by VA, and the Veteran was not given an opportunity to waive initial RO consideration.

The Board dismissed the appeals for service connection due to the death of the appellant.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for GERD was granted, as new evidence supports the reopening of his previously denied claim.,Service connection for ankle, foot, knee, hip and hand pain (claimed as muscular and movement pains) is granted due to the submission of new evidence.

The Board denied service connection for COPD, bilateral hearing loss disability, tinnitus, lumbar spine disorder with lower extremity radiculopathy, and cervical spine disorder with upper extremity radiculopathy as the evidence did not support a link to service.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as there was no evidence of a nexus between the conditions and active duty service.

The Board has determined that the evidence is not in favor of service connection for a back disability, right knee disability, bilateral eye condition, bilateral hearing loss disability, or tinnitus.,VA will need to obtain additional medical records and possibly conduct further examinations to determine if there are any connections between the appellant's current disabilities and his military service.

The Veteran seeks increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, but the Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.,Service connection for ischemic heart disease was denied as there is no evidence of its occurrence during service or continuity of symptomatology.