Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2010

The Board found that the Veteran's tinnitus is not related to his active service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran is unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment due to the severity of her service-connected disabilities, which include bronchiectasis with recurrent bronchitis and pneumothoraces (60 percent), painful scars associated with bronchiectasis (20 percent), bilateral varicose veins (10 percent), migraine headaches (10 percent), varicose veins of the right leg (10 percent), and tinnitus (10 percent). The Board finds that her service-connected disabilities alone have rendered her unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, and grants TDIU.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate VA examinations and requests for a new examination, as well as further medical opinions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for a right shoulder disorder, hip disorder, hearing loss, tinnitus, and type II diabetes mellitus. The evidence does not support a finding that these conditions are related to active military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining records related to in-service stressors and exposure to noise, as well as scheduling VA examinations for psychiatric conditions, hearing loss, tinnitus, and rib fractures.

The Board denied service connection for tinnitus and found that new and material evidence had not been submitted to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for an acquired nervous disorder. The Veteran's testimony regarding his tinnitus was deemed not credible, and there is no competent medical evidence showing a current disability related to qualifying military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to his military service and grants service connection for this condition.

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

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU is being remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and development of his VA treatment records.

The Veteran's surviving spouse has been granted service connection for tinnitus for accrued benefits purposes, as the evidence shows that the Veteran suffered from tinnitus in service and presented post-service continuity of symptomatology.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence sufficient to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for a left knee condition has been received. The issue of entitlement to service connection for a left knee condition is addressed in the REMAND portion of the decision below and is REMANDED to the RO via the Appeals Management Center (AMC), in Washington, DC.

The Board finds that further development is required with respect to the Veteran's claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus due to in-service acoustic trauma. The case is REMANDED for additional examination and development.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, acting alone, preclude him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension, and residuals of tuberculosis exposure. The decision also addressed other issues such as bilateral shoulder and knee disorders, carpal tunnel syndrome, sacroiliac disorder, and tinnitus.

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

The Veteran meets the criteria for a TDIU due to his service-connected disabilities, which prevent him from engaging in substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus do not render him unemployable as a result of his disabilities, given the current rating assigned.

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

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and non-specific urethritis are being remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are service-connected, with the evidence being in equipoise as to whether these conditions were incurred during his military service.