Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2011

The Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss was reopened and granted, with the effective date set at the day following the August 2004 denial.,Service connection for tinnitus was granted, but an earlier effective date is denied as no formal or informal claim prior to April 29, 2008, has been identified.

The Board found that the appellant's hearing loss and tinnitus did not have their inception during active service or for many years thereafter, and are not causally related to his active service. Therefore, the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, finding that there is no credible evidence of a current disability and noting that the Veteran did not report having tinnitus during his VA examination. The Board also found no medical records indicating any history of tinnitus.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current tinnitus was incurred as a result of hazardous noise exposure and acoustic trauma during active service, including periods of active duty for training (ACDUTRA). As such, the claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's pre-existing hearing loss did not worsen during his military service and that there is no evidence of in-service noise exposure related to current tinnitus.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have current disabilities for which he is seeking service connection, and therefore, his claims are denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render her unemployable, as she is currently employed in an administrative/personnel capacity.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for hypertension to include as due to exposure to herbicides has been withdrawn. The Board is dismissing the issue of service connection for hypertension.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and residuals of a traumatic brain injury, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are related to his in-service incidents.

The Board has determined that the Veteran did not file a timely substantive appeal concerning his September 2006 rating decision denying service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. As such, the claims are dismissed.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities are related to his exposure to acoustic trauma during military service.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus due to a need for another hearing before a Veterans Law Judge.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is found to be the direct result of inservice acoustic trauma, and service connection for this condition is granted. The issue of tinnitus remains pending as it was not addressed in the decision.

The Board found that the Veteran's tinnitus did not have its onset in service and is not related to his military service. As a result, the claim for service connection was denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's tinnitus was not incurred in or aggravated by service, as there is no evidence of tinnitus during service and the VA examiner concluded it was less likely than not related to military noise exposure. The claim for service connection for tinnitus is denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his service, including noise exposure. The claim for service connection was denied.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral plantar fasciitis, tinnitus, and IBS. Bilateral plantar fasciitis is presumed due to combat exposure in service. Tinnitus is presumed due to acoustic trauma in service. IBS is considered a presumptive disorder under the provisions of 38 C.F.R. § 3.317.

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

The Veteran's PTSD was granted service connection based on continuity of symptomatology since service. The other claims were denied as the evidence did not meet the criteria for presumptive service connection.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU is being remanded due to the need for additional medical opinions and consideration of whether he was unemployable prior to September 6, 2007.