Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2010

The Board found that the Veteran's tinnitus is not service-connected and denied his claim for lumbosacral strain due to lack of evidence showing a connection between his current condition and service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied. The Board found that new and material evidence had not been presented to reopen the claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and hypothyroidism. Service connection was also denied for PTSD, IBS, sleep apnea, and a right hand disorder. A right ankle disorder claim is being remanded.

The Veteran does not have hearing loss or tinnitus that was caused or aggravated by his service. His pre-existing right ear hearing loss did not undergo an increase in severity during service, and there is no post-service medical evidence of treatment for hearing loss prior to July 2007.

The Board found no evidence of a hearing loss disability within one year following service and denied the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus as not related to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current hearing loss meets the regulatory thresholds to be considered disabling for VA compensation purposes. The Board also found that the Veteran's tinnitus is as likely as not a symptom associated with his hearing loss.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, which include bilateral hearing loss (60%), PTSD (30%), shell fragment wound to the left knee (20%), tinnitus (10%), degenerative changes of the left knee (10%), and varicosities of the left leg (10%), do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA examination to determine if the Veteran's current left ear hearing loss and tinnitus are related to her in-service noise exposure, whether her pre-existing left ear hearing loss was aggravated by her second period of service, and to provide opinions on these issues.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete medical records and a need for further examination regarding the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board finds that service connection is granted for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus in the right ear, as the evidence supports a finding of current disability related to service.

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

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, granting service connection for both conditions.

The Board has granted the Veteran's requests to reopen his service connection claims for CFS and IBS, as well as his service connection claim for a right knee condition. The effective date of these decisions is not specified.

The Veteran's tinnitus was found to be related to her military service, and she is granted service connection for this condition. The issue of an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for left foot plantar fasciitis remains pending as the Veteran wishes to withdraw her appeal on other issues.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate evidence regarding the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The Veteran needs to provide medical records from all providers who have treated him for these conditions, and a VA audiological examination is necessary to determine if his current hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination to assess her ability to secure and follow substantially gainful employment given her service-connected disabilities.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to a lack of in-service medical records, unsuccessful attempts to obtain private medical records, and incomplete VA medical records. The Veteran is required to provide additional information or authorization for obtaining any relevant evidence.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, left ear hearing loss, right ear hearing loss, and tinnitus as the evidence did not establish a link to service or any presumptive exposure to herbicides.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and left ear hearing loss, but the claim for an initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is remanded due to new evidence.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection. The initial evaluations for his bilateral heel tendonitis/fasciitis and eczematoid dermatitis/onychomycosis were denied.

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