Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have precluded him from obtaining or engaging in substantially gainful employment since August 29, 2016.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's tinnitus had its onset during active-duty service.

The Board denied higher ratings for the Veteran's cervical spine strain with arthritis, left and right upper extremity radiculopathy, and tinnitus, and dismissed a freestanding earlier effective date claim for tinnitus. The Board remanded service connection for urinary frequency/incontinence.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased ratings for various service-connected conditions, but granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for increased disability rating for tinnitus, service connection for bilateral hearing loss, an earlier effective date for tinnitus, and service connection for degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, left knee condition, and right knee condition.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and remanded the claim for bilateral hearing loss due to insufficient evidence.

The Board granted service connection for chronic kidney disease as secondary to the Veteran's service-connected orthopedic disabilities and dismissed the appeal for tinnitus due to a procedural defect. The issue of service connection for a right shoulder disability was remanded.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and left and right foot pes planus as there was no evidence of chronic conditions in service or within the applicable presumptive period; continuity of symptomatology is not established; and the disabilities are not otherwise etiologically related to an in-service injury or disease. The other issues on appeal were remanded for further development.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding insufficient evidence to establish a connection between these conditions and his military service.

The Board granted service connection for obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension, and tinnitus. The claims for increased ratings for right shoulder degenerative arthritis, thoracolumbar spine degenerative arthritis, left knee degenerative joint disease, and right knee degenerative arthritis were denied. An effective date of April 23, 2021, was granted for the award of a 100 percent evaluation for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and special monthly compensation based on the need for regular aid and attendance.

The appeal for service connection for tinnitus is dismissed as the benefit sought on appeal has been granted in full. The remaining claims are remanded for further development.

The Board granted a 50 percent rating for migraine headaches and remanded the claim for an increased rating for GERD, mild hiatal hernia, and erosive esophagitis. Other claims were denied.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus, posttraumatic stress disorder with major depressive disorder and alcohol/stimulant use disorder, left shoulder degenerative arthritis, right shoulder degenerative arthritis, right knee disability (degenerative arthritis), and right knee surgical scars. The issues of a low back disability, right lower extremity lumbar radiculopathy, left knee disability, shin splints, right foot disability, and right ankle disability were remanded for further development.

The Board remands the claims for a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for service-connected left and right knee strains, service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a left ankle disability, tinnitus, and a right hip disability due to deficiencies in the evidence.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, finding that the evidence does not support a link between the condition and his military service.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus based on a theory of continuity of symptomatology.

The Board granted service connection for bilateral tinnitus and denied an increased rating in excess of 70 percent for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The claims for other conditions were remanded.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the evidence is in equipoise as to whether it arose during active service. The claim for bilateral hearing loss was remanded for further evaluation.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus as there was no evidence of a chronic condition during service, continuity of symptomatology after service, or a nexus between the current disability and military noise exposure.

The Board granted service connection for tinnitus and migraines as a medically unexplained chronic multi-symptom illness of unknown etiology (MUCMI) based on the Veteran's exposure to acoustic trauma during military service and his Persian Gulf War service.