Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2009

The Board found no nexus between the Veteran's active duty and his currently shown bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, thus denying service connection for these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions, but a VA examiner will need to provide an opinion on whether it is at least as likely as not that his current hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for a more definitive medical opinion regarding their etiology.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service. His acquired psychiatric disorders, including PTSD, were not incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not service-connected, as there is no clear and unmistakable evidence of pre-existing conditions at entry into service. The medical opinions provided do not support a finding that these conditions were incurred during active duty.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for further development, including obtaining service personnel records and conducting VA examinations.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus and knee disability were not incurred or aggravated during service, and thus denied his claims for service connection.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding no evidence of a qualifying disability in either ear or showing that these conditions were incurred during active service.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by service, and thus denied both claims.

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

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by his military service, nor may they be presumed to have been so incurred.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus and a genitourinary disorder, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to her military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are not of such severity as to render him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment at any time during the period relevant to this appeal.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are dismissed as the claim for depression is part and parcel of his already service-connected PTSD. The Board finds no allegations of errors of fact or law to review.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied as there is no evidence of a nexus between the current conditions and service, including exposure to noise during combat.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining medical records and considering his claim for a TDIU. His service-connected disabilities include PTSD, hearing loss, left hand disabilities, tinnitus, and scars.

The Veteran's tinnitus is currently rated at the maximum schedular rating of 10 percent, and no higher. The Board finds that a higher rating is not warranted.

The Board has granted the Veteran's request to reopen his PTSD claim. The issues of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, bilateral elbow condition, and right hip condition secondary to the service-connected residuals of a fracture of left distal fibula and posterior tibial malleolus are remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, bilateral tinnitus, and left arm scar are related to his military service. The Veteran is granted service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals for the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, asbestosis, and an initial evaluation in excess of 70 percent for PTSD with depressive disorder.