Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) Board decisions

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and denied the remaining issues of service connection. The Veteran is now service connected for a mood disorder, but not for chloracne, psoriasis, IBS, hearing loss, tinnitus, fibromyalgia, or residuals of frostbite.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient reasons or bases for denying service connection for tinnitus, including as secondary to bipolar disorder. The Veteran's psychiatric medications, specifically lithium, are being considered in relation to this claim.

The Veteran's claims for tinnitus, right shoulder disability, and bilateral knee disability are being remanded due to the Veteran not appearing for scheduled VA examinations. The AOJ must verify that notice was sent to the correct address and reschedule the appellant for new VA examinations.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining a medical opinion regarding the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as verifying herbicide exposure in Korea. The appeal is being returned to the AOJ for compliance with these directives.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral eye disability are service-connected, but his claims for other disabilities remain denied.

The Veteran's tinnitus is service-connected based on in-service noise exposure and current bilateral tinnitus. The Board finds the evidence to be in equipoise regarding whether his acquired psychiatric disability, lumbar spine disability, right lower extremity neuropathy, left lower extremity neuropathy, and right foot disability are related to service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine if his service-connected disabilities render him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Board denied an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the earliest possible effective date provided by law is February 25, 2010.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to service, but his bilateral hearing loss is not. The Veteran was granted service connection for tinnitus.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the AOJ for scheduling a videoconference hearing before a Veterans Law Judge.

The Veteran's tinnitus is not related to his active duty service, as the symptoms began after service. The VA examiner needs to consider a delayed onset of tinnitus in the March 2009 Journal of Clinical Neurology article.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, which he claims are due to noise exposure during his military service. The Board finds that a VA examination is necessary to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Board finds that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his active duty service, including exposure to noise from diesel engine operation. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Board has dismissed the appeal for service connection for tinnitus due to a full grant of benefits. The claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss remains on appeal.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus and Meniere's disease are remanded due to inadequate VA examination opinions. The left ankle condition, left knee condition and acquired psychiatric disorder secondary to these conditions will also be remanded.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is not related to his military service and denied the claim.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current disability of the bilateral knees. The preponderance of evidence shows no diagnosed knee condition related to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, when evaluated in association with his educational attainment and occupational experience, do not preclude all forms of substantially gainful employment prior to February 27, 2014. Since February 27, 2014, the combined effect of his bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, cervical spondylosis, and left arm radiculopathy, when evaluated in association with his educational attainment and occupational experience, preclude all forms of substantially gainful employment.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the Veteran's claims for specially adapted housing and special home adaptation grant, and as such, these claims are granted.