Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2009

The Board found that the appellant's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus did not manifest until many years after service and are not shown to be related to his active duty service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and residuals of malaria, finding that the Veteran's reported symptoms are consistent with his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development to determine if he is unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran's service-connected tinnitus is assigned a 10 percent rating, and his bilateral hearing loss is rated at 10 percent from August 30, 2001 to January 7, 2005. The appeal for increased ratings was granted.

The Veteran's service-connected headaches are rated at a maximum of 50 percent, effective September 2004. The Veteran is granted an initial rating in excess of 30 percent for his service-connected headaches and denied a TDIU.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus due to combat-related acoustic trauma during service. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability within one year after separation and the medical evidence does not support a link between service and the condition.

The Veteran's tinnitus is likely related to his military service, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for PTSD and determined that new and material evidence has been received. The Veteran is currently diagnosed with PTSD, anxiety disorder, and depressive disorder, all related to his active service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and consideration of his request for a DRO hearing.

The Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be related to his military service, while the scars on his face warrant a noncompensable rating.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss was granted, and he is now rated at 10% from May 25, 2007. The effective date for the grant of service connection for tinnitus was set at August 29, 2001.

The Board found that the Veteran's tinnitus was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied. His claim for an increased rating of PTSD from May 20, 2008 was granted with a 50% disability rating.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated by military service, as his pre-existing conditions did not worsen during service. The claim for service connection was denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to service, and therefore denied his claims for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were granted effective May 7, 2008. The Board found no evidence of prior informal or formal claims filed before this date.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for emphysema with bronchitis (claimed as a lung disorder) is denied because there is no evidence of asbestos exposure during service and the current condition is not related to service.,Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is denied because there is no evidence that the Veteran has a current diagnosis of sensorineural hearing loss or tinnitus, nor is there any evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's tinnitus was incurred in, or caused by, his military service and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VCAA notice and for additional development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current diagnoses of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his in-service noise exposure, and thus service connection is granted for these conditions.