Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2009

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete information and need for further examinations.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining records from TSA and VA audiologist evaluations.

The Board finds that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are due to in-service acoustic trauma, warranting service connection.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss and tinnitus are granted service connection, while left ear hearing loss is not considered incurred in service due to its pre-existing nature.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to his service, specifically his duties as an ordinance officer and exposure to loud noises during service. As a result, the claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining relevant medical records and conducting a VA examination.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date prior to November 9, 2006 for the grant of service connection for tinnitus was denied as there is no indication he specifically filed a claim before that date.

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, as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus. The case must be remanded for further action.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the award of service connection for tinnitus was denied as there is no evidence of a pending claim prior to May 14, 1986.

The Veteran's tinnitus was not incurred in or aggravated by his active military service. The Board found that the Veteran did not have chronic tinnitus during service and there is no evidence of continuity of symptoms since service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence linking these conditions to his time in service.

The Board found that the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in service, as there was no evidence of such conditions during or immediately after his military service. The VA examiner opined that the more likely etiology for the Veteran's hearing loss was from industrial noise exposure rather than military service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence supporting a relationship between his current diagnoses and his military service.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for tinnitus is being remanded due to insufficient evidence, including the need for a VA examination and consideration of the Veteran's testimony about intermittent or recurrent tinnitus.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated by active service. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a finding of aggravation during service.

The Veteran's service-connected tinnitus is properly evaluated as 10 percent disabling. The RO must readjudicate the claim for a compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss and consider the possibility of staged ratings if indicated by facts found.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and denied his claim for service connection. The Board also found no evidence of diabetes mellitus being related to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including tinnitus, right and left ear hearing loss, a left knee disorder, arthritis of the right knee, low back disorder, allergy disorder, gastrointestinal disorder, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (to include PTSD), finding that there was no evidence of current disabilities or a link to active service.

The Board found no evidence of a nexus between the Veteran's claimed bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus and his military service, including noise exposure. As such, the claims for service connection were denied.

The Veteran's tinnitus and left ear hearing loss are found to be related to his military service, with the Board granting service connection for these conditions.