Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2011

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for additional development, including a VA audiology examination.

The Board found that the Veteran does not have a chronic ear disorder other than hearing loss and tinnitus, and thus denied his claim for service connection.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, an acquired psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, HTN, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The Board found that there was no evidence of a stressor related to service or any nexus between current conditions and service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not prevent him from securing or following substantially gainful employment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, with resolution of reasonable doubt in favor of the claimant. Therefore, both conditions have been granted service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is as likely as not related to his active service, and thus grants service connection for this condition. The lung disability claim remains pending due to insufficient evidence regarding its etiology.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence was submitted to reopen the claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is etiologically related to his active service, as are his tinnitus.

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

The Veteran's service-connected hepatitis C and cirrhosis have been granted an initial rating of 10 percent. The Board has also found that the Veteran is unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities, granting a TDIU.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient medical opinions regarding whether the Veteran's tinnitus is related to his military service. The Veteran needs to undergo a VA audiology examination for an opinion on this issue.

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

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable as his combined disability rating is 70 percent, which meets the criteria for a TDIU. The claim has been denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus were not incurred or aggravated by service, as there is no credible evidence of pathology during service or within one year following discharge. The VA audiological examination concluded that these conditions are not related to service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and hypertension are denied. The claim of entitlement to service connection for glaucoma of the right eye is remanded as additional development is needed. The Veteran's PTSD disability rating remains at 30 percent.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for a VA examination and re-adjudication of his claim for TDIU.

The Veteran's tinnitus was found to be related to his active service, and he is granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that additional VA examinations and opinions are needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection for COPD, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The case is therefore REMANDED.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The VA examiner found no current left ear hearing loss disability for VA purposes and opined that the Veteran's tinnitus is not related to service.,There was no evidence of a current left ear hearing loss disability or tinnitus in service, and the VA examiner concluded that these conditions are not related to service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hypertension, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are related to his military service.