Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) Board decisions

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

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete records from his Reserve service. The AOJ must obtain and associate any missing records, including those from Fort Polk, Louisiana, and Social Security Administration disability benefit records. They should also consider the Veteran's ACDUTRA and INACDUTRA service periods.

The Veteran's service connection claims for allergic rhinitis, colitis, sleep apnea, tinnitus, and pseudofolliculitis barbae/sycosis barbae were reopened due to new evidence. The claims for allergic rhinitis, colitis, and sleep apnea remain denied, while the claims for tinnitus and pseudofolliculitis barbae/sycosis barbae are granted.

Service connection is granted for tinnitus. Service connection is denied for an acquired eye disability, chronic sleep disability, high cholesterol, type II diabetes mellitus, and peripheral neuropathy.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus due to a lack of evidence showing it began during or was related to his military service. The decision also remanded the claims for left and right knee disabilities, as VA did not provide sufficient medical opinion regarding whether these conditions pre-existed service or were aggravated by service.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and bilateral recurrent tinnitus, finding that the current conditions did not begin in service or are otherwise related to noise exposure during active duty.

The claim for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus has been granted. The issue of service connection for burns on the right side of the face, neck injury, and vertigo is being remanded.,Service connection for tinnitus has been granted. However, further examination is needed to determine if service connection can be established for a neck injury and vertigo.

The Board has remanded the cases due to inadequate examination and need for additional medical opinion regarding the relationship between hearing loss and tinnitus and service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as an initial rating for left ear hearing loss, were denied. The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of right ear hearing loss or tinnitus, and his left ear hearing loss was rated at 10%.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is rated at 20 percent, and his tinnitus is rated at the maximum schedular rating of 10 percent. The Veteran's CAD has been granted a 30 percent rating effective May 31, 2011, and a 60 percent rating effective April 4, 2012. His diabetes mellitus, type II, is rated at the maximum schedular rating of 20 percent for each affected extremity. The Veteran's peripheral neuropathies are all rated at the maximum schedular ratings. Effective dates have been granted for various conditions and disabilities.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted. However, the claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied as his hearing loss does not meet the criteria set forth in 38 C.F.R. § 3.385.

The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his service-connected tinnitus is denied as the highest schedular rating available is 10 percent.

Service connection for tinnitus, obstructive sleep apnea, right knee strain, PTSD, sinusitis, and rhinitis (bacterial and allergic) is granted.,An effective date prior to February 17, 2016, for the grant of a 10 percent rating for right ankle strain is denied. Service connection for PTSD, sinusitis, and rhinitis (bacterial and allergic) is also granted with an effective date of February 17, 2016.,The Veteran's service-connected PTSD aggravated his obstructive sleep apnea.

The Veteran's tinnitus, MDD with alcohol substance abuse, and right ear hearing loss have been granted service connection. However, the effective dates for these conditions are October 11, 2016.,The claims of service connection for tendinitis, left ear hearing loss, glaucoma, a thoracolumbar spine disability, COPD, hypertension, carpal tunnel syndrome, sleep apnea, and stomach ulcer remain pending. Further development is needed to determine the current status of these conditions.

The Veteran is granted special monthly compensation (SMC) based on the need for aid and attendance and housebound status due to her service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, sleep apnea, deafness, and tinnitus.

The Board has granted service connection for a left knee disability and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not related to his military service. The appeal regarding bilateral hearing loss is remanded.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed as there were no issues on appeal. The Board found that the Veteran did not file a valid notice of disagreement for some of the issues and did not specify which foot he was referring to in his initial filings.

The Veteran was denied service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability due to the absence of evidence showing a current disability. The Veteran's tinnitus claim was granted as it is presumed to have started during service.,Service connection for a bilateral knee disability is remanded, and an additional VA medical opinion is needed.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus is being remanded due to the need for a medical opinion regarding whether he had a hearing loss disability in August 1972 under VA guidelines.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for a back disability was denied as there was no evidence of an etiological link between the current condition and service.,Service connection for bilateral pes planus was granted based on aggravation during service, but not due to any in-service injury or disease.