Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2008

The veteran's service-connected bilateral tinnitus and hypothyroidism were both denied higher initial ratings. The veteran is already receiving the maximum disability rating for her tinnitus, and there is no objective evidence of mental sluggishness or other disabling symptoms for her hypothyroidism.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, warranting service connection for both conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, hearing loss, and tinnitus due to a lack of verified in-service stressors or diagnoses.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the veteran's conditions are related to his active military service.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for cervical spine disability, right elbow disability, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and right knee disability. The effective dates requested by the veteran have not been granted.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, a low back disability, and bilateral hernia disabilities due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The veteran is factually housebound due to his service-connected PTSD with depression prior to September 28, 2005 and beginning July 1, 2006. Special monthly compensation based on housebound status has been granted.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to conflicting evidence regarding whether the veteran's renal cancer is related to service, including presumed exposure to herbicides. The issue of tinnitus remains unresolved and will be addressed in a future decision.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding no evidence of in-service noise exposure or a nexus to service. The claim for lumbosacral strain was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The veteran's cause of death was not service-connected, and he did not meet the criteria for DIC under section 1318 due to his total disability rating being less than 10 years prior to his death.

The veteran seeks service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, which he claims began during his military service. The VA has not provided sufficient evidence to determine the etiology of these conditions.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of cold injury, tinnitus, and COPD. The claim for compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for right eye vision loss was also denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his service, including exposure to acoustic trauma during active duty. As such, these conditions have been granted as service-connected.

The Board found that the veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not caused by or aggravated by noise exposure in service, including National Guard service. As a result, the claims for service connection were denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's claimed bilateral hearing loss and chronic tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by active military service, nor may a sensorineural hearing loss be presumed to have been so incurred. Therefore, both claims for service connection are denied.

The Board has determined that the veteran's tinnitus is a disorder of service origin and grants service connection for it. The secondary service connection claim for CAD remains pending as there are conflicting opinions on whether the veteran's CAD is related to his diabetes.

The veteran's claimed disabilities are not service-connected due to lack of evidence showing a connection between his current conditions and his military service.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unemployable, and the Board has granted a TDIU based on this.

The veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and a back condition have been denied as there is no current diagnosis of these conditions or evidence linking them to service.

The Board found that the veteran's hearing loss, tinnitus, and frostbite residuals were not incurred or aggravated by service. The evidence did not support a finding of current disability related to these conditions.