Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2011

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is due to acoustic trauma in service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure and follow substantially gainful employment, meeting the criteria for a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues related to reopening a claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as concerns about proper VCAA notice and development of evidence. The Veteran's claims are being returned to the RO for further action.

The Veteran seeks service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, which he claims are related to noise exposure during his military service. However, the Board notes that his primary MOS was as a cook, not an infantryman, and there is no evidence of in-service acoustic trauma. The case is REMANDED for further development including obtaining medical records and scheduling a VA audiological examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues with the audiometric examination results and for further development.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claim of service connection for tinnitus. The Veteran experienced severe in-service noise exposure, chronic tinnitus symptomatology during service, continuous tinnitus since service, and currently has a diagnosed tinnitus disorder related to service exposure. Therefore, service connection for tinnitus is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his employability.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and PTSD, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are related to his in-service stressors. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is addressed in the REMAND portion of the decision.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current low back disability is unrelated to service and his tinnitus is related to in-service noise exposure. Therefore, service connection for both conditions is denied.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is being remanded due to the need for a new VA examination and opinion.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current tinnitus is related to noise exposure during his military service, specifically from a tank cannon fire. As such, the claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for low back disorder, residuals of cold exposure, arthritis, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The decision found no new and material evidence to reopen the claim for a low back disorder, and that there was insufficient evidence linking any current disabilities to service or service-connected conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities were not incurred in or aggravated by his military service. The evidence did not support a finding of continuity of symptomatology after service, nor was there any medical opinion linking these conditions to service.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus do not render him unemployable, as he is able to perform substantially gainful employment despite his disabilities.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, but these claims are being remanded for additional development.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional development, including obtaining vocational rehabilitation records and scheduling an examination to assess the impact of his service-connected disabilities on his employability.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral tinnitus is assigned a 10 percent rating for the entire appeal period, and he is already receiving the maximum schedular benefit allowed by law. The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for bilateral hearing loss has been denied due to lack of legal basis.

The Board has reopened the claim of entitlement to service connection for tinnitus and granted service connection based on in-service acoustic trauma.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by military service, nor may they be presumed to have been of service onset. The VA examiner concluded it was less likely than not related to service.

The Veteran's appeal for a higher rating for tinnitus and hearing loss has been denied. The Board found that the current ratings are appropriate, as there is no legal basis to grant an increased rating.