Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2009

The Board denied the Veteran's request for an earlier effective date of 8 July 2005 for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the February 14, 2005 document did not constitute a valid informal claim.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, nor may they be presumed to have been incurred in service. Therefore, the claims for service connection were denied.

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

The Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated by active military service. His heart condition was also not related to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including VA examinations to determine the presence of hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities, as well as their etiology. The Veteran may also have residuals from a hand injury during service.

The Board found that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by his active service, as there was no evidence of chronicity in service and no showing of continuity of symptoms after discharge. The Board concluded that the preponderance of the evidence is against the claims for service connection.

The Board has granted service connection for a left ankle disorder, hearing loss in the right ear, and tinnitus. Hearing loss in the left ear is not considered a disability under VA criteria.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to in-service noise exposure, with all reasonable doubt resolved in favor of the claimant. Therefore, service connection for both conditions is granted.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's conditions had their onset during active service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to his employment as a farmer.

The Board found no evidence of hearing loss or tinnitus during service, and the Veteran's current conditions are not shown to be related to his military service. Therefore, service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus is denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of a ruptured tympanic membrane is denied as there is no current evidence of such condition. The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current disability related to his in-service perforated eardrum.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, alone, are not sufficient to produce unemployability without regard to his advancing age. The Board finds that TDIU is not warranted on a schedular or on an extra-schedular basis at this time.

The Board has remanded the case due to a lack of consideration of in-service reports of perforated right eardrum, which may be relevant to the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board has remanded the case for a VA audiological examination to determine the likely etiology of the Veteran's claimed hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as any other necessary development.

The Board found no evidence linking the Veteran's current tinnitus or musculoskeletal disabilities to his military service, and thus denied these claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated by his military service. The evidence does not support a finding of in-service incurrence, and there is no competent medical evidence linking current disabilities to active duty.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected disabilities, by themselves, do not preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation. Therefore, the claim for TDIU was denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss is not related to his military service and thus denied service connection for this condition. The same conclusion was reached regarding left ear hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of her claims, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations to address the nature and etiology of various claimed conditions.