Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2011

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a VA examination to determine if his current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to service, specifically noise exposure as a radioman in the Navy. The claims will be readjudicated after this examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to his military service, and thus grants service connection for this condition. The right ear hearing loss was not found to be incurred or aggravated by service.

The Board denied the Veteran's petition to reopen his claim of service connection for right ear hearing loss and found that he did not have tinnitus or PTSD related to military service. The decision also noted that the Veteran was already service-connected for a shell fragment wound in his right leg, which is considered as acoustic trauma.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for tinnitus, right shin splints, left shin splints, and a right femoral condyle disability. The Veteran's claims of increased ratings for his service-connected back, left knee, and right knee disabilities are also being remanded.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus are found to be related to in-service noise exposure. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable, as a VA examination found that his bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus would not prevent him from securing and following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to have been incurred in service, as his current diagnosis and reported symptoms are consistent with a continuity of symptomatology since service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, a left ankle disability, enlarged testicles, and an enlarged prostate. The evidence does not support a finding of direct service connection for these conditions.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and sinusitis due to a lack of evidence linking these conditions to the Veteran's military service.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including obtaining a clarifying medical opinion regarding the nature and etiology of any hearing loss and tinnitus that may be present.

The Veteran seeks service connection for a right ear disorder, hearing loss, and tinnitus. The Board has determined that further medical examination is needed to clarify the nature of his current disabilities and their relationship to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and updated medical records. The case will be returned to the Board after these actions have been completed.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, and denied his requests for increased ratings for left knee disability, right knee disability, right hip strain, bilateral hearing loss, PTSD, and individual unemployability. The Veteran was not granted any of these claims.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including tinnitus, residuals of cold injury to both hands and feet, residuals of cold injury to face and ears, scapula fracture, cervical spine fracture, hypertension, and sleep disorder have been denied. The reasons are provided in the reasoning section.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss and tinnitus are related to service, while his left ear hearing loss is not. The Veteran was exposed to noise during military service on a firing range without protection.

The Veteran's PTSD, bilateral hearing loss disability, and tinnitus are all found to be related to his military service. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred during or as a result of active service, within a presumptive period following service, or as a result of exposure to hazardous noise during service. The evidence from 1977 to 1981 firmly established that the Veteran himself reported several times that his hearing loss was first noted in early 197.

The Veteran seeks service connection for tinnitus, which he claims is secondary to his service-connected bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain an opinion regarding the relationship between the Veteran's tinnitus and his service-connected hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his active military service, granting service connection for both conditions.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to inadequate examination reports. The Board will seek further development before deciding the merits of these claims.