Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2009

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to in-service acoustic trauma, and thus service connection is granted for both conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for a videoconference hearing with one of the Board's Veterans Law Judges.

The Veteran is service-connected for hearing loss and tinnitus, rated at 70 percent combined. The Board finds that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unemployable due to his bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, which make it impossible for him to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board found that the appellant did not have current bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus that was incurred in 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 that there is no evidence linking these conditions to his military service. The issues of entitlement to service connection for a bilateral foot disorder and a bilateral leg disorder are remanded due to outstanding private treatment records.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are due to in-service noise exposure, and thus grants service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's cold weather injuries of the right and left lower extremities, as well as his bilateral feet paresthesias, are service-connected. However, there is no evidence to support a finding of current hearing loss or tinnitus, thus denying those claims.

The Board has found that the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are service-connected, with a presumption of soundness at entry into service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be related to his active duty service. The Veteran does not have a current thyroid disability for purposes of service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, bilateral tinnitus, hypertension (HTN), a heart disorder, and PTSD have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of service connection for any of these conditions.

The Veteran is service-connected for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, rated at 60% and 10%, respectively. The Board finds that the Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, warranting a TDIU.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is as likely the result of his noise exposure in service or associated with his service-connected noise-induced bilateral hearing loss, and thus grants service connection for tinnitus.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been presented to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus. The claims are now being reviewed on their merits.

Service connection is granted for a hernia, tinnitus, night sweats due to an undiagnosed illness. Service connection is denied for sinus infections and throat irritation due to an undiagnosed illness, and respiratory disability and skin disability.,The Veteran's hernia was noted prior to service and not aggravated during service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current hearing loss disability and tinnitus, and there is no evidence of in-service noise exposure or injury. As such, service connection for these conditions cannot be established.

The Veteran's claim for service connection of Meniere's disease has been denied. The issue of entitlement to an initial evaluation in excess of 10 percent for residual imbalance status-post right ear tympanotomy with labyrinthotomy and dexamethosone perfusion, and transcanal underlay tympanoplasty remains pending as the Veteran was granted a 10% evaluation effective the day following separation from service. The claims for service connection of left ear hearing loss and tinnitus are still pending.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including VA audiology and ENT examinations to determine the nature and etiology of his alleged bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess his employability due to service-connected disabilities. The issue of service connection for headaches will also be addressed in the remand portion.

The Veteran's respiratory disability to include COPD and reactive airway disease is related to service. The left knee disability, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are not shown to be related to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for hearing loss disability of the left ear and tinnitus was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability during the pendency of this claim. The Veteran's fungus infection of the feet was not rated initially.