Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2008

The Board has determined that the veteran's right ear hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated by service, and denied his claims for service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and a right knee disability, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence does not support a nexus between current disabilities and military service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed, including obtaining medical records and scheduling the veteran for an audiometric examination to determine if his hearing loss and tinnitus are related to service.

The Board found no evidence to support the veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as his current conditions are not related to his military service.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, sleep apnea, lupus, and deep vein thrombosis with venous stasis of the left leg. The appeals were based on a direct relationship to service without any presumption or secondary linkage.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including providing proper notice to reopen a claim of service connection for sleep apnea and allowing the veteran's representative (TVC) an opportunity to respond to a supplemental statement of the case.

The Board found that the veteran's current tinnitus is not shown to be caused or aggravated by a service-connected disorder such as his cervical fusion with spondylosis, and therefore denied the claim for direct service connection.

The Board has determined that the veteran is in need of regular aid and attendance due to his service-connected disabilities, which have resulted in a favorable decision for special monthly compensation.

The Board found no evidence to support the veteran's claims of hearing loss and tinnitus being related to his service, including noise exposure. As a result, these claims were denied.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding no persuasive medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence of a relationship between his current condition and his active service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's currently diagnosed bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, including exposure to loud noises during combat. As such, these conditions were denied as not being incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence linking his current tinnitus to his military service.

The veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to service noise exposure and has been granted service connection. The issue of tinnitus remains pending as it was not addressed in the July 2004 rating decision.

The Board has determined that the veteran's tinnitus is related to his service-connected hearing loss and has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board found that the veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated by service, as there was no evidence of such conditions during service. The Board also noted that the veteran did not report any complaints related to his ears at either his enlistment or separation examinations.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further examination and opinion regarding his claims of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have current bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus disability as defined by VA regulations, and thus cannot establish service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran's tinnitus is related to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss, and thus grants service connection for tinnitus.