Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) Board decisions

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have prevented him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation prior to October 21, 2022. The Board has found that the evidence is in at least approximate balance and any remaining reasonable doubt is resolved in favor of the Veteran. TDIU is granted prior to October 21, 2022.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the right knee disability was dismissed as a matter of law due to the finality of the September 1989 rating decision.,The claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied without assigning an earlier effective date because no communication prior to October 6, 2017 can be interpreted as an informal petition to reopen or service connection claim.,The Veteran's claim for a higher rating for his right knee disability was denied.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for service connection of tinnitus, and the Board dismissed the case as a result.

The Veteran's tinnitus is granted as service connected because the condition began during his military service and there was no evidence of pre-service onset.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral tinnitus was granted, and she received a 50% disability rating for her major depressive disorder.,Service connection for bilateral tinnitus was established based on the Veteran's in-service noise exposure. The VA examiner found that the Veteran's current tinnitus is related to military noise exposure.

The appeal for a rating in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus is dismissed.,Service connection for hypertension is granted, based on the PACT Act presumption of association with herbicide exposure. The effective date is August 10, 2022.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to errors in fulfilling its duty to assist. The claims are being remanded so that a new VA examiner can reassess the Veteran's claims, taking into consideration contradictory evidence submitted by the Veteran and his lay statements regarding onset and continuity of symptoms.

The Veteran died due to anoxic brain injury, and the Board has decided to remand the case for further investigation into whether his service-connected disabilities could have contributed to his death.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, finding that there is no current diagnosis of tinnitus and thus not meeting the criteria for service connection.

The Board has decided to remand the claims for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus due to deficiencies in the VA examination, including lack of consideration of lay statements about symptom progression. The AOJ is instructed to obtain additional medical opinions addressing these concerns.

The Veteran's service connection claims for tinnitus, hearing loss, and sleep apnea are granted. The claims for hearing loss and sleep apnea are remanded.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to inconsistencies in the Veteran's service records and the need to obtain relevant medical records, including SSA disability benefits records and private treatment records. The effective date claim remains pending.

The Veteran's PTSD has been granted a rating of 100% effective March 21, 2018. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus was denied. Service connection for erectile dysfunction and migraine headaches secondary to PTSD was granted.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected, effective from the date of receipt of his claim on January 11, 2018.,Service connection for tinnitus was denied due to lack of prior communication indicating intent to file a claim before January 11, 2018.

The Board has dismissed the appeals for service connection of bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus due to the Veteran's death.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are denied as his current level of hearing is not disabling, and there is no evidence linking the conditions to service.,The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is also denied. The Board found that while he experienced noise exposure in service, his tinnitus did not begin until at least 5 years after separation from active duty.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as service connected due to in-service noise exposure. The claims were reopened based on new evidence received since the previous final denial.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to insufficient evidence regarding their onset during service.

The Veteran's tinnitus has been rated at the highest schedular rating of 10 percent, which is the maximum allowed under Diagnostic Code 6260.,Prior to March 1, 2021, the Veteran's chronic tension headaches were rated at 30 percent. After that date, they are rated as noncompensable.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was granted effective November 4, 1999. He is currently assigned a 10% rating for his bilateral hearing loss.