Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2008

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine if the veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service. The case is therefore being remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to missing Social Security Administration records and potential asbestos exposure.

The veteran seeks service connection for an anxiety disorder due to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The January 2007 VA examination concluded that the current depression was unlikely related to his hearing loss, but a September 2008 VA physician's assistant opinion found it related to his service-connected hearing loss and tinnitus. Further development is needed.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence did not establish a nexus between current hearing loss or tinnitus and active service.

The VA denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence of a relationship between these conditions and the veteran's military service.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed conditions, including migraine headaches, acid reflux disease (including abdominal damage), and tinnitus, were not incurred or aggravated by military service. The claims for service connection have been denied.

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

The veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied as there is no evidence of a current disability. The claim of entitlement to service connection for a pulmonary condition, to include as secondary to asbestosis, was also denied due to lack of in-service event or disease.

The Board found that the appellant's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his exposure to acoustic trauma during his two-week period of Active Duty for Training (ACDUTRA) in 1954, thus granting service connection for these conditions.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities are not shown to be productive of a disability picture that precludes the veteran from working, and therefore he is not entitled to TDIU.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding no credible evidence of current disabilities related to his military service.

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

The Board has remanded the veteran's claims for service connection due to incomplete verification of stressors and exposure, as well as unclear medical evidence regarding hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board denied an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus, finding that the maximum schedular rating available was already assigned.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded for further examination and evaluation to determine if his service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have hypertension, hearing loss, or tinnitus that are attributable to his active military service.

The veteran's tinnitus and chronic sinusitis were not found to be related to service, leading to a denial of the claims. The hearing loss claim was remanded for further evaluation.

The Board has determined that the veteran's tinnitus and cervical spine disorder were incurred in service, with reasonable doubt resolved in his favor. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current hearing disability for VA purposes and there is no basis to link his tinnitus to service. Therefore, both claims of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are denied.

The veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. His diabetes mellitus, type II, was not rated higher than 20 percent. Bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not found to be related to service or service-connected conditions. Peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities was also not found to be related to service.