Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2010

The Board found that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the claims for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The decision is mixed, as some issues may be granted while others are denied.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that new and material evidence has been submitted. The Board also found that these conditions are related to his military service.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be related to his active military service, with noise exposure being the primary factor.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is at least in equipoise regarding these conditions and thus applying the benefit of the doubt rule.

The Board has remanded the case for further development to determine if the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are related to service.

The Board finds that the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine, and right shoulder strain are not supported by the evidence of record. The Veteran did not have any diagnosed disabilities during active service or within one year post-service, and there is no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated by service, as there is no medical evidence linking these conditions to his military service. The VA examiner found no evidence of a nexus between the Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus and his active duty.

The Veteran's headaches have been rated at 10% since May 16, 2005. The Veteran's tinnitus has not resulted in a higher rating under the applicable criteria. His cognitive disorder due to traumatic brain injury does not meet the criteria for a separate rating.

The Board finds that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are attributable to his military service, resulting in a grant of service connection for both conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's PTSD and tinnitus are related to his active service, warranting service connection for these conditions. The claim for stomach pain with constipation is denied as there is no evidence of a direct relationship between the condition and service-connected diabetes mellitus.

The Board has determined that there is a need to verify the Veteran's periods of active duty, inactive duty training, and service treatment records. The Veteran should be contacted for further information regarding his claimed conditions during service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, to include as secondary to service-connected nasal polyps with pansinusitis, is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated in active military service. The evidence does not support a finding of chronicity, continuity, or direct service connection for these conditions.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that it is presumed to have had its origins in service. The case is now remanded for the assignment of a disability evaluation and an effective date.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities meet the percentage rating standards for TDIU, but he is not currently unemployable due to his service-connected conditions.

The Board denied service connection for diabetes mellitus, tinnitus, and hearing loss of the right ear due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to military service.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral defective hearing and tinnitus, finding no competent medical evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a total evaluation based on individual unemployability due to his combined rating of 10 percent.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to his noise exposure during service and grants the claim for service connection.