Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) Board decisions

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for SMC based on aid and attendance, dismissed his claim for automobile and adaptive equipment allowance, and granted an earlier effective date of August 7, 2008 for service connection of dehiscence of superior semicircular canal (claimed as vertigo).

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities are service-connected, but remanded for further examination and opinion regarding other claimed conditions. The issues of service connection for a right and left hand disability, generalized anxiety disorder with memory loss, dizziness, and migraine headaches remain unresolved.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, diabetes, hearing loss, and tinnitus, render him unemployable. A total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) is granted.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that his current conditions are at least as likely as not related to his military service.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The issue of entitlement to a higher initial rating for PTSD is remanded, as are issues related to TDIU due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has granted the Veteran's request to reopen his claim for service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis and denied claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss and bilateral tinnitus. The decision on these issues is pending further action.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus have been denied as the evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for a new VA examination to assess the severity of his service-connected sleep apnea. The Board finds that the evidence of record is insufficient to address the Veteran’s contention that his sleep apnea warrants higher than a 50 percent rating.

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

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including Major Depression and Tinnitus, have precluded substantially gainful employment since May 27, 2007. The Board has granted an earlier effective date of May 27, 2007 for the grant of total disability individual unemployability (TDIU).

The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD is granted, and he is also granted service connection for anxiety. The claims for tinnitus, right hand tendonitis, left hand tendonitis, plantar fasciitis of the left foot, and plantar fasciitis of the right foot are denied.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service-connected, with the decision favoring the Veteran.,Service connection for PTSD with MDD is granted at a 70 percent rating.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence of in-service noise exposure or chronic conditions related to these disabilities.

The Veteran's petition for re-adjudication of his claim of entitlement to service connection for tinnitus is denied.,Entitlement to an effective date earlier than December 17, 2018 for the grant of service connection for PTSD is denied.,Entitlement to a compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Board has determined that new evidence received after the March 2017 rating decision warrants readjudication of the claim for service connection for tinnitus. Additionally, the Veteran is found to be unemployable due to her service-connected disabilities and thus entitlement to a TDIU is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for regular aid and attendance or by reason of being housebound. The Board found that the Veteran does not have an anatomical loss, blindness in both eyes with visual acuity of 5/200 or less, is not permanently bedridden due to a service-connected disability, nor is he so helpless as to be in need of regular aid and attendance of another person.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to noise exposure during his military service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is denied as his service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, and tinnitus have been granted. The Veteran is also awarded a separate rating of 10% for symptomatic residuals of removal of semilunar cartilage of the right knee (meniscectomy) prior to August 10, 2016.