Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2011

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to inadequate VCAA notice and an incomplete VA examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence of in-service noise exposure or significant threshold shift during service. The Board also found that the Eustachian tube dysfunction did not affect the Veteran's hearing loss.

The Veteran's claim for an increased rating for residuals of a right thigh injury with meralgia and paresthesias was denied. The disability is currently rated as 10 percent disabling.

The Veteran has been granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as these conditions are found to be related to his active duty.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss is related to his active service, and thus grants service connection for this condition. The right ear hearing loss and tinnitus are not granted as there is no evidence of current disability or a link to service.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being reopened due to the submission of new evidence. However, further examination is needed to determine if these conditions are related to his military service.

The Board finds that the Veteran's tinnitus manifested during service and is related to his military service. The Veteran does not have a chronic genitourinary disorder since service, with the exception of Peyronie's disease which developed post-service.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and has reopened the claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. Additional development is required to determine the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not currently have a diagnosed condition of tinnitus, and thus cannot establish service connection for this disability.

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

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and providing a new opinion from the July 2007 VA examiner regarding his bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran seeks service connection for hearing loss, claiming it was caused by noise exposure during active duty. The VA has ordered a remand to provide the Veteran with an audiometric examination and opinion regarding whether his current hearing loss is related to his military service.

The Board found no evidence of in-service hearing loss or tinnitus, and thus denied the Veteran's claims for service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and PTSD. The Board found that there was no competent evidence linking these conditions to his active service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to his in-service noise exposure and grants service connection for this condition. The issue of bilateral hearing loss was withdrawn by the Veteran, so it is not addressed further.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities (PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus) are found to render him unable to maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have rendered him unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment, which has been granted a TDIU effective July 16, 2009.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are directly related to his active duty service, including exposure to noise from small arms fire.

The Board has determined that a new VA audiology examination is needed to determine the relationship between the Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus and his military service, as the previous examiner could not provide an opinion without resorting to speculation.

The Veteran seeks service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, which he asserts began in service due to noise exposure. The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain additional VA treatment records and provide an addendum opinion from the appropriate examiner regarding the etiology of his current hearing loss and tinnitus.