Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2009

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a VA examination to assess whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone would cause him to be unemployable. The appeal is now pending again with the AMC/RO.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus did not manifest during service or within one year thereafter, and there is no evidence of continuity of symptomatology. The VA examiner noted that the onset of both conditions was unknown.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and left ear tinnitus are not service-connected, with no evidence of in-service noise exposure or other causative factors.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examinations, as well as compliance with prior Board instructions.

The Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded for further examination to determine if they are related to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted, with an effective date of February 9, 1978.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and assigned an initial 50 percent rating, which is higher than the originally assigned 30 percent. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was not found to be incurred in or aggravated by service, and tinnitus was not found to have been incurred in service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and an initial noncompensable rating for bilateral hearing loss, as well as a higher rating for his bilateral pes planus with plantar fasciitis. The Veteran was not granted any of these benefits.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus did not originate in service and is not otherwise etiologically related to service. As a result, the claim for service connection for tinnitus was denied.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a compensable rating for hearing loss or a schedular evaluation in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as there was no evidence of current disabilities meeting the criteria for a disability, nor any competent medical opinion linking these conditions to military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's tinnitus was not incurred during service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to service and grants this claim. The appeal for tinnitus was withdrawn by the Veteran prior to a decision being made.

The VA determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, including exposure to noise. The Board found no evidence of in-service acoustic trauma or a continuity of symptoms since service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address the merits of the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, including a VA examination.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied as there is no evidence of in-service onset or association with active duty. The claim for Rocky Mountain spotted fever was not addressed due to the nature of the appeal.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to obtain additional medical records and for a VA examination. The claim will be reconsidered based on the new evidence.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral tinnitus was incurred in service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is service-connected, but his tinnitus and PTSD claims are denied. The initial rating for PTSD remains at 30 percent.

The Board found that the appellant did not have a diagnosed mental condition, including PTSD. The claims for sexual dysfunction and gastrointestinal conditions were denied as there was no evidence of in-service incurrence or relationship to service. The claim for acid reflux was also denied due to lack of evidence linking it to service. The back condition and tinnitus claims were similarly denied.