Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2010

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining Social Security Administration records and inpatient treatment records from the Naval Hospital on Parris Island. The case will also be adjudicated again after these developments.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed, including obtaining VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for a VA audiological examination to determine the etiology of his claimed bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, with no evidence of pre-service conditions or aggravation. The claims for service connection have been granted.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been submitted to reopen the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The evidence received since the June 2004 rating decision does not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating either claim.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the relationship between his current conditions and military service. An additional VA examination is required.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to noise exposure during his service in the Naval Reserve, which is considered direct service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no medical nexus between current hearing loss or tinnitus and in-service noise exposure.

The Board has remanded the case due to a request for a hearing before a Veterans' Law Judge.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the threshold requirements for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to his combined rating of 60 percent. However, the Board found that there is no evidence demonstrating he is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and an earlier effective date for tinnitus were denied. The Board found that the criteria for an effective date prior to March 29, 2001, for service connection of tinnitus have not been met.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.

The Board found that the Veteran's inconsistent statements damaged his credibility and concluded that tinnitus was not related to military service or service-connected bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and gastrointestinal disability are being remanded due to the need for additional development. The effective date of his PTSD service connection is also being remanded.

The appellant claims compensation under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1151 for migraine headaches, tinnitus, anxiety and depression, and high blood pressure based on VA treatment from 1997 to 2007. The Board finds that additional records are needed and a medical opinion is required.

The Board has determined that the appellant's tinnitus is at least as likely as not related to inservice noise exposure during demolitions training, and thus service connection for tinnitus is granted.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus and TMJ dysfunction are at least as likely as not related to her military service, and thus grants service connection for both conditions. The effective date of the grant is July 28, 2008.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions were not incurred or aggravated by active duty. The VA examiner opined that the Veteran's audiometric configuration was not consistent with noise-induced hearing loss.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus was denied as there is no evidence of in-service injury or disease that can account for the present disability. The Board found that the Veteran did not have hearing loss for VA compensation purposes, and his tinnitus started after service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and bilateral tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's service connection claims for hearing loss, tinnitus, and lung/respiratory disability (including bronchitis) have been denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not have a current hearing or respiratory condition attributable to in-service noise exposure.,Service connection was also denied for an increased rating for pes planus.