Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2010

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA audiological examination to determine if the Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his period of active service.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to have had its origins during service, and the Board grants service connection for tinnitus.

The Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for the grants of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are denied.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary before the claims can be adjudicated, including obtaining a VA examination to determine if the appellant's hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for ulcerative colitis is granted. The claims for tinnitus and the other conditions are denied.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain an adequate medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as to address the Veteran's claims for service connection.

The Board has granted the appellant's application to reopen his claims for service connection for hearing loss disability and tinnitus. The VA will conduct a VA audiological examination to determine if the appellant currently has a hearing loss disability related to service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus was denied, and his TDIU claim was also denied. The Board found that the Veteran does not have a current disability of tinnitus and thus cannot establish service connection.

The Veteran's appeal has been withdrawn, and the case is dismissed.

The Veteran's claims for hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including a VA examination.

The Board found that the Veteran's tinnitus was not incurred in or aggravated by service and denied his claim. The left shoulder disability issue remains pending.

The Board found that the Veteran's tinnitus did not begin during service and is not related to military noise exposure. As a result, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Board found no evidence of hearing loss or tinnitus during service, and the VA examinations did not establish a link between current hearing loss and tinnitus and military service. The Veteran's claims for service connection were therefore denied.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are currently rated at 50 percent, which is the maximum schedular rating available. The Board finds that there is no evidence to support a higher evaluation for these conditions. As such, the claim for an increased evaluation for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Board has ordered a remand due to the inadequacy of the April 2009 VA examination, which did not provide sufficient clarity on whether the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's tinnitus was not incurred in or aggravated by active service and denied his claim.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence of a link between these conditions and his active service.

The Board found that the Veteran's claimed bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated by active service, nor may they be presumed to have been so incurred. The claims for service connection were denied.

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

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining service treatment records and verifying the Veteran's dates of service. The issues include entitlement to service connection for various conditions.