Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2009

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no medical nexus between these conditions and his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus did not occur during service or are otherwise related to his military service. As a result, service connection for these conditions is denied.

The Veteran's claim for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities is being remanded for additional development, including an addendum opinion and/or examination regarding the impact of her low back and bilateral knee disabilities on her employability.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is due to combat-related acoustic trauma during his active service, and thus grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim of entitlement to compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. � 1151 for impotency was denied as the evidence did not show that his impotency resulted from VA treatment or surgery, and it was not due to an event reasonably foreseeable. The Veteran's claim of service connection for tinnitus was granted as he had a long history of tinnitus since service. His claim of service connection for a low back disorder is remanded.

The Veteran's claims for separate ratings for tinnitus, a higher rating for his lumbar spine disability, and a compensable rating for sciatica of the right lower extremity were denied. The maximum schedular rating for tinnitus has been assigned, and the Veteran's lumbar spine disability is rated at 10 percent due to its current limitations. Sciatica of the right lower extremity was granted as part of his service-connected lumbar spine disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, in combination, preclude him from obtaining and maintaining any form of substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and industrial background. The Board finds that the criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities are met.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus were not incurred in or related to service. The VA examiner concluded that these conditions are not linked to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus was denied because the evidence did not support a finding that his current hearing loss disability is related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for a VA examination to determine if these conditions are related to his active service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his active service, including exposure to acoustic trauma during military service. As a result, the appeal for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's pension claim is granted as he meets the requirements for non-service-connected pension due to his severe back impairment, which has been determined by SSA to be disabling.

The Board found that the evidence received since the last final decision in January 2002 is cumulative and does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the Veteran's claims for service connection for residuals of pneumonia and bronchitis, headaches, tinnitus, and a low back disorder.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are unrelated to service, as there was no continuous symptomatology after service discharge. The evidence did not show a chronic disability of hearing loss or tinnitus until 2001.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and PTSD, finding that both conditions are consistent with the circumstances, conditions, or hardships of in-service combat. The Veteran's statements regarding his experiences during service have been found credible.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is related to his active duty service, and thus grants service connection for this condition. However, there is insufficient evidence to establish a link between tinnitus and his military service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be related to noise exposure during active military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred during or aggravated by his military service, and therefore denied both claims.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was not filed until July 30, 2005. The effective date of the grant of service connection is therefore denied as it cannot be earlier than this filing date.

The Board has ordered a remand due to the need for clarification of the VA examiner's opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus and his service.