Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2009

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

The Veteran's chronic eye disability manifested by watering of the eyes is found to be related to his service-connected hyperthyroidism. Right ear hearing loss and tinnitus are also found to be related to in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's failure to cooperate with a VA examination resulted in the denial of his claim for TDIU.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral mixed hearing loss is etiologically related to his active service, while tinnitus was not shown to be related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is etiologically related to an in-service injury and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected conditions do not warrant a compensable rating or service connection, and thus the appeal is denied.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are attributable to in-service acoustic trauma. The appeal is allowed.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no competent medical evidence showing a nexus between these conditions and his time in service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding no evidence of current disabilities or a link to service. The claim for low back disability was denied as well due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining treatment records from the VA Hines Medical Center and readjudicating the issues on appeal.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability (TDIU) as his combined rating is only 20 percent, which does not meet the schedular percentage standards required.

The Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied, but finally granted in March 2006. The appellant's claim for accrued benefits was not based on a claim for service connection.

The Board found that the Veteran's tinnitus is not related to his service or any aspect thereof, and his acquired psychiatric condition (including depression and anxiety) did not manifest during service and is unrelated to his period of service.

The Veteran's current tinnitus is not shown to be due to disease or injury incurred in service, and the Board finds no credible evidence linking his tinnitus to any period of active duty for training or an injury during inactive duty for training.

The Board finds that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to noise exposure in service and grants service connection for this condition. However, there is no competent evidence relating current tinnitus to service or noise exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by his military service. The evidence does not show a current diagnosis of left ear hearing loss for VA purposes, nor is there any competent medical evidence linking the Veteran's current hearing loss to his military service.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus is being remanded due to the need to obtain Merchant Marine service personnel records and provide a VA audiologic examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to service, including noise exposure. The preponderance of evidence is against these claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were first manifest in service, and thus grants service connection for these conditions.