Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2005

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of service connection for hearing loss. The case is being remanded to obtain a VA examination and opinion regarding the nature and etiology of the veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus.

The veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his death.

The Board has determined that the veteran's tinnitus is related to his service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his active duty service.

The Board finds that the veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are presumed to have been incurred during his period of active duty for training (ACDUTRA). The VA examiner opined that it was at least as likely as not that these conditions were related to his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding no evidence of a prior claim filed before June 11, 2003.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current right ear hearing loss and tinnitus are attributable to injury during service, including eardrum perforation and noise exposure. As such, these conditions have been granted as incurred in service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred during active service, and thus denied both claims.

The Board has granted the veteran's claims of service connection for PTSD, substance abuse secondary to PTSD, and tinnitus. The claims of new and material evidence for hearing loss and back injury have also been granted. Increased ratings for scarring and left varicocele are denied, but a TDIU is granted.

The veteran's claim for service connection for cutaneous and spinal neurofibromatosis was denied as new and material evidence had not been received. The RO awarded a 10% rating for tinnitus effective April 6, 1997, but the veteran is seeking an earlier effective date. The TDIU issue has been granted.

The Board has remanded the case to the RO for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations. The veteran's claims will be re-adjudicated after this is done.

The Board has remanded the case for further review of new evidence submitted by the veteran, including a document linking jet engine noise exposure to tinnitus.

The Board finds that the appellant's tinnitus is more likely than not related to his period of active military service, specifically his exposure to loud noise while serving aboard the U.S.S. Ticonderoga.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased rating for hearing loss in his left ear and service connection for tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence of a chronic condition during service or a relationship between current symptoms and service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining medical records and arranging for a VA examination to determine if the veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are related to service.

The veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.

The veteran's appeal for separate ratings for his service-connected tinnitus was dismissed due to the death of the veteran during the pendency of the appeal.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for an increased rating for his bilateral hearing loss and for an earlier effective date for his tinnitus service connection.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for a separate compensable initial rating for tinnitus in the left ear, finding that he did not file a timely substantive appeal.

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