Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2011

The Board denied reopening the claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and denied entitlement to service connection for tinnitus. The Veteran's previously denied claim was not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence.

The Board has reopened the claims for service connection for a cervical spine disorder, tinnitus, headaches, sciatica, and ulnar nerve disorder. The Veteran's service-connected back pain syndrome with Grade 1 L5-S1 spondylolisthesis is granted an initial disability rating in excess of 30 percent.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as new and material evidence has been received. The claims are granted based on a finding of aggravation.

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

The Veteran's claims of service connection for various conditions, including a respiratory disorder secondary to herbicide exposure, were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a link between these conditions and service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to obtain the Veteran's service treatment records and to provide him with a new VA examination. The claims will be remanded for these actions.

The Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss disability have been rated appropriately at the maximum schedular evaluations. The appeal for higher initial ratings is denied.

The Board finds that the Veteran does not have a current disability for which service connection can be granted, and thus denies all claims.

The Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been denied. The claims for an acquired psychiatric disorder, left shoulder disorder, and right knee disorder are pending.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were found to be incurred in service, while his acquired psychiatric disorder was not. The Board granted the Veteran's claims for these conditions.

The Veteran died in March 2010 due to an acute myocardial infarction. The appellant's claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, hypertension, and PTSD were pending at the time of the Veteran's death. Evidence of record did not show that any of these conditions began during or preexisted military service or was related to service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling the Veteran for examinations to assess his claims of bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, right shoulder condition, and sinus condition.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss and denied his claim for tinnitus.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for right foot ulcers, left foot ulcers, PTSD, and diabetes mellitus were denied. The Veteran's claim for hypertension was pending as it is secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus. His claims for service connection for right ear hearing loss disability and left ear hearing loss disability were both denied. His claim for tinnitus was granted.

The Board has ordered additional development due to the Veteran's service with the Air Force Reserve, including verification of his periods of active duty and personnel records.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining a clarifying medical opinion regarding the combined effect of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities on his employability.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities and tinnitus have been denied as there is no current diagnosis of these conditions.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating or an evaluation in excess of 10 percent, respectively.

The Veteran's tinnitus is related to acoustic trauma during service, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition. The initial compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss remains unchanged.

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