Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) Board decisions

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were granted, while the claim for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine was denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between his current tinnitus and his military service. The Board noted that the Veteran did not report symptoms of tinnitus during service or until six years after separation, and that medical records showed no chronicity of tinnitus.

The Veteran's claims for tinnitus, fallopian tube adhesions with removal of the left ovary, and increased rating for right knee patellofemoral syndrome and degenerative arthritis status post arthroscopy have all been denied. The Board found insufficient evidence to support service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for a bilateral arm condition has been withdrawn. The Board finds that remand is warranted for the issues of service connection for back disability, hypertension, thyroid disability, tinnitus, sleep apnea, and GERD.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are related to in-service noise exposure.

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

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are related to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus is granted. The Board finds that the evidence is in equipoise regarding these claims, thus granting reopening of the claim. Service connection is also granted for peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities. However, the Board has determined that additional development is needed to address the Veteran's claims for service connection for erectile dysfunction and peripheral neuropathy due to herbicide exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, hypertension, sinusitis, and diabetes mellitus type II are remanded due to a lack of recent VA examinations. The claim for tinnitus is granted.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral tinnitus is denied. The issue of service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder to include PTSD is remanded due to lack of evidence to verify in-service stressors.

The Veteran's GAD is rated at 50 percent, effective from the date of this decision. The TDIU claim has been granted.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection and increased rating of various conditions, including a right knee disability, lumbar spine disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The Veteran's left knee condition is currently rated at 30 percent under Diagnostic Code 5260.

The Board has found that additional attempts must be made to locate and obtain missing military personnel and service treatment records from March 1995 until July 2000 in order to confirm whether the Veteran suffered his claimed injuries in the line of duty. The Board also notes that the Veteran did not appear for his VA examinations due to medical travel restrictions.

The Veteran's appeals for hypertension, high cholesterol, and tinnitus have been dismissed. The Board has also remanded the issues of service connection for right knee disability, back disability, left knee disability, left hand disability, and right hand disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including panic disorder with agoraphobia and bilateral tinnitus, made him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation as of October 6, 2014. The effective date for the grant of TDIU is set at October 18, 2015.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding the evidence in equipoise as to whether these conditions are related to active duty.

The Board has dismissed the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, prostate cancer, and erectile dysfunction as he did not properly appeal these claims using the required VA form.

The Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 50 percent for generalized anxiety disorder was dismissed as the appeal had already been activated into the Board’s Legacy appeals system.,The Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for bilateral hearing loss was denied. The June 2019 audiometric test results showed that the Veteran met criteria for a 10 percent disability rating, which is the maximum allowed under DC 6100.,The Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus was denied as it already received the maximum schedular rating authorized under Diagnostic Code 6260.,The Veteran's claim for a disability rating in excess of 20 percent for type II diabetes mellitus was denied. The June 2019 audiometric test results showed that the Veteran met criteria for a 10 percent disability rating, which is the maximum allowed under DC 7913.,The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to May 9, 2019 for the award of an increased 100 percent disability rating for coronary artery disease status post myocardial infraction and coronary artery bypass graft surgery was denied. The increase in disability did not meet the one-year criteria.,The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to May 9, 2019 for basic eligibility for Dependents’ Educational Assistance under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 35 was denied as he had a permanent and total service-connected disability from May 9, 2019.,The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than May 9, 2019 for the grant of special monthly compensation based on housebound criteria was denied as his disabilities did not meet the percentage requirements prior to that date.

The Board denied service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the preponderance of the evidence did not support a link between these conditions and active duty service.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the award of additional dependent compensation for his spouse is granted, with the effective date set at March 1, 2019.