Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) Board decisions

The Board has decided that the Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss are not service-connected, with the exception of remanding the issue of bilateral hearing loss for further examination. The decision on tinnitus remains denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for effective dates prior to November 15, 2016, for the grants of service connection for PTSD, IBS, bilateral shoulder disability, neck disability, and tinnitus.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a bilateral shoulder disability has been withdrawn.,Service connection for tinnitus is granted, as the Veteran reported experiencing ringing in his ears since service and provided credible testimony during the January 2020 Board hearing.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD in March 2009, and the Veteran did not appeal. The claim to reopen was denied as there is no new and material evidence.,Service connection for bipolar disorder with a depressed episode has been granted due to aggravation by service.

Service connection granted for left knee condition, tinnitus, and left foot condition (to include plantar fasciitis) due to service-connected conditions.,Remaining issues of service connection for right hip condition and bilateral hearing loss are remanded.

Service connection is granted for tinnitus, but the issue of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to inadequate opinion.

The Board has remanded the cases for further development and consideration due to insufficient evidence regarding service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and prostate cancer as secondary to herbicide exposure.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for contact dermatitis, tinnitus, patellofemoral syndrome (left knee), and lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis and intervertebral disc syndrome (low back disability) are partially granted. The claim for increased rating for contact dermatitis is denied. The claim for increased rating for tinnitus prior to August 6, 2017, and in excess of 40 percent thereafter for lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis and intervertebral disc syndrome (low back disability) is dismissed. The claims for increased ratings for patellofemoral syndrome, left knee, and lumbosacral strain with degenerative arthritis and intervertebral disc syndrome (low back disability) are remanded.

The Veteran's tinnitus is rated at 10 percent, the maximum schedular rating. The Board denied an increased rating on a schedular basis and found that extraschedular consideration was not warranted.,The effective date for service connection of tinnitus has been set as April 6, 2015, based on the receipt of a formal claim.

The Veteran's appeals for increased ratings and service connection have been remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations and records.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection as it is considered a direct result of his in-service noise exposure, and the Board found that there was continuity of symptoms since service.

The Board has denied service connection for degenerative joint disease of the upper extremities, left knee disability, tinnitus, and a sleep disorder separate from any psychiatric disability. The Veteran's claims are being remanded to verify his reported stressors related to PTSD.,Service connection is not granted for the claimed conditions as there is no current diagnosis or credible evidence linking them to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, a sleep disorder (including sleep apnea), hearing loss, and tinnitus due to insufficient evidence or need for further examination.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus do not render him unemployable due to their impact on his ability to work, as he can perform jobs with minimal physical responsibility and environments that are not noisy.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for reopening the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board has determined that the evidence is not in favor of granting service connection for chronic sinusitis, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a lumbar spine disability. The claims are therefore remanded to allow for further development.

The Veteran was granted TDIU from September 27, 2017. The Board also remanded the case for consideration of extraschedular TDIU prior to that date.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's conditions are at least as likely as not related to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD was reopened due to new evidence, resulting in service connection being granted.,Service connection was also established for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus based on exposure during active military service.