Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) Board decisions

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, and a TDIU prior to February 6, 2019 is granted due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to new VA treatment records being added to the record, and a need for another VA audiological examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran is unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation due to his service-connected PTSD, granting him a TDIU.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding no nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus as there is no current evidence of a tinnitus disability during the appellate period.

The Veteran's tinnitus has been granted service connection, as the evidence is at least in equipoise that it originated during service.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss has not been established, as auditory thresholds did not meet criteria for a disability under VA regulations.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral pes planus, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The Veteran's bilateral pes planus was aggravated during active duty service. His bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his in-service acoustic trauma.

The Veteran's tinnitus was found to have begun during service and has persisted since then, meeting the criteria for service connection.

The Veteran's current bilateral tinnitus is granted as service connected, with the Board finding that it is at least as likely as not due to his in-service exposure to military acoustic trauma.

The Board has remanded the case for further development and consideration of whether the Veteran's tinnitus is caused or aggravated by his service-connected depression medications.

The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim of entitlement to service connection for hearing loss is dismissed. His petition to reopen his claim of entitlement to service connection for residuals of a traumatic brain injury (TBI) is granted, and the claim is granted. The Veteran’s petition to reopen his claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder is denied. The Veteran's petition to reopen his claim of entitlement to service connection for tinnitus is granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been remanded due to the need for a VA examination. The Board will review the expanded record, including new evidence, to determine if service connection may be granted.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 100 percent, effective July 5, 2012.,The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated at 0 percent, effective July 5, 2012. The Veteran has been granted service connection for this condition but no effective date earlier than July 5, 2012.

The Board has dismissed the claim for a rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus and denied the claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss. The case is remanded for further action on the claims for an initial rating in excess of 50 percent for PTSD.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations and service connection were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support higher ratings or service connection for most of his conditions, except for a finding that tinnitus warranted at least a 10 percent evaluation.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including non-Hodgkin lymphoma and osteoporosis of the spine and hips, render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, finding that the Veteran's current hearing loss disability is not related to his military service. Service connection was granted for tinnitus.,Service connection for a lower back disability is remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding its etiology.

The Veteran's tinnitus has been granted service connection, but his right ear hearing loss remains denied.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current condition is at least as likely as not related to his in-service noise exposure. Service connection for hearing loss was denied due to lack of evidence linking the disability to service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for a heart disability and bilateral tinnitus due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the disabilities preexisted service or are related to service. A VA examination is needed to determine if the Veteran's current heart murmur clearly and unmistakably preexisted service, and if so, whether it was caused or aggravated by service. For tinnitus, a VA examination is also needed to determine if it is at least as likely as not related to her period of active duty, including exposure to gunfire on the rifle range during basic training.