Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2010

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is service-connected, as it was incurred during his active duty. The claim for Meniere's disease remains pending and requires additional development.

The Veteran's tinnitus was caused by acoustic trauma during active military service, and the Board granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus and left eye disability are not related to his military service, and thus denied these claims.

The Board found that the Veteran's stroke was not related to his service-connected residuals of a head injury with chronic headaches and denied service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection on all six issues have been withdrawn.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining service treatment records and private medical records. The Veteran will also be provided with a VA examination to assess the severity of his hearing loss and determine if he is permanently and totally disabled.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, resolving doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board found that the Veteran's tinnitus did not manifest during service and is unrelated to his in-service noise exposure. The preponderance of evidence does not support a finding that the current tinnitus is related to service, thus denying the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling a new VA examination. The case will also be reviewed to determine if a claim for a Total Disability Rating Based on Individual Unemployability (TDIU) should be addressed.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus has been granted. However, his claim for a higher rating for DJD of the right knee remains denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities were not incurred in or aggravated by active military service, nor may they be presumed to have been incurred therein. The evidence does not establish a causal link between the Veteran's current hearing loss disability and his period of active military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus did not have a direct relationship to his military service, as there was no evidence of such during or immediately after service. The hearing loss is first shown more than 50 years after service, and the tinnitus began in 2001.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were granted, with an initial rating of 10% for prostate cancer effective February 8, 2007. The claim for higher ratings for erectile dysfunction was denied.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied as there was no competent evidence linking these conditions to her military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a neck condition and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including VA examinations.

The Board finds that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, resolving all reasonable doubt in his favor.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus had its onset in service and is therefore granted as a result of service connection.

The Board has determined that there is no evidence to support the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as both conditions are not related to his military service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including bilateral hearing loss, PTSD, prostatitis, and tinnitus, have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board has determined that the criteria for a TDIU rating are met.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by active service, and thus denied his claims for service connection.