Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2008

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining medical records and information from the Social Security Administration.

The Board denied service connection for tinnitus and diabetes mellitus, finding no evidence of a nexus between the conditions and military service.

The VA denied the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of eye flash burns, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The Board found that there is no current diagnosis of an eye disorder, and the veteran did not have any complaints or treatment related to eye flash burns until many years after separation from service.,There was no evidence of chronic disability resulting from a disease or injury in service for the conditions at issue.

The veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are as likely as not the result of noise exposure in service, and the Board finds that they were incurred during active service.

The veteran is seeking service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, which he attributes to his inservice exposure to loud noise. The Board has determined that additional development is necessary due to new evidence submitted by the veteran.

The VA determined that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in service or related to his active duty, as there was no evidence of such conditions during or immediately after service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated during service, nor are they presumed to have been incurred due to exposure to noise. The evidence does not support a finding of continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are service-connected, but his PTSD claim is denied as there is no evidence of a valid diagnosis under DSM-IV criteria.

The veteran's claim for payment or reimbursement of medical expenses incurred at a private hospital from November 20, 2003 to November 21, 2003 is granted due to the lack of suitable VA facilities.

The Board denied the veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and bilateral tinnitus, finding no evidence of a current disability related to service.

The Board found that the veteran's low back condition and tinnitus are not related to his active duty service.

The Board found that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by active service, as there was no medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service. The VA examiners concluded that both conditions are more likely related to aging rather than service.

The Board found that the veteran's tinnitus is not related to his military service, including noise exposure. The most probative evidence indicates it began in 2004 after an ear infection.

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for a new VA orthopedic examination to determine if his service-connected disabilities alone prevent him from securing and following any substantially-gainful employment. The RO is also instructed to obtain all outstanding VA medical records, SSA disability benefits records, and arrange for the veteran to undergo a VA orthopedic examination.

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

The Board found that the veteran does not have current diagnoses of PTSD, tinnitus, or bilateral hearing loss as defined by VA regulations. Therefore, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The veteran's appeal for increased ratings for his service-connected tinnitus, hearing loss of the left ear, and chronic recurring otitis media of the left ear with effusion has been denied as there is no legal basis to award a higher rating under applicable diagnostic codes.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence of in-service injury or disease related to these conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his time in service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, and thus denied both claims.