Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2009

The Veteran's tinnitus and acquired psychiatric disorder, including anxiety disorder, are not service connected as they did not manifest during or follow active service. The Board finds that the current conditions are more likely related to post-service medical history rather than service connection.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss on the basis of new and material evidence. However, the claims are being remanded to the RO for further development before readjudicating them on their underlying merits.

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 higher rating for either condition, as the audiometry results did not warrant a compensable evaluation for hearing loss or a schedular evaluation in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted as both conditions are found to be related to his active military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied across the board. The Board found no current diagnoses of any claimed conditions, and thus could not establish a link between military service and these conditions.

The Veteran's PTSD is rated at 70 percent, the maximum schedular rating available. The Veteran also meets criteria for a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the case due to the Veteran's request for a video conference hearing.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss and degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, render him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment. The Board grants his claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Veteran's request for a computer to assist with communication and recreational activities was granted as it is necessary to enable him to achieve maximum independence in daily living.

The Board denied all of the Veteran's claims, including initial compensatory disability ratings and earlier effective dates for service connection. The Veteran's service-connected conditions are rated at their maximum levels under applicable VA regulations.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his active service, thus denying these claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus, and thus cannot establish service connection for these conditions.

The Board found that the evidence did not support service connection for tinnitus or residuals of a right hand injury, including arthritis. The Veteran's hearing loss was due to in-service acoustic trauma, but there is no direct link between his current tinnitus and this exposure.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted. The Board finds that the Veteran had exposure to noise during service and his current tinnitus is related to this in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the minimum schedular criteria for a total disability rating based on unemployability. The case is REMANDED to obtain an opinion regarding whether he is capable of securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been evaluated, but the claims for increased ratings are denied as there is no legal basis to assign a higher rating.

The Board finds that the evidence is in equipoise on whether the Veteran's hemangioperiocytoma of the brain with complications was incurred during service, and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for a higher disability rating for tinnitus is denied as the maximum schedular rating of 10 percent applies.

The Board finds that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to his military service, and grants the claim for service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for depression, but dismissed the appeal regarding bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to withdrawal of the Substantive Appeal by the Veteran.