Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2011

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have right ear hearing loss, left ear hearing loss, or tinnitus that is attributable to his active military service.

The Board found new and material evidence to reopen the claim of service connection for left ear hearing loss, and granted service connection based on direct evidence. Service connection for tinnitus was also granted.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by his service, including noise exposure during military service. The preponderance of evidence did not support a link between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's BHL and tinnitus are found to be related to his active duty service, with the benefit of doubt resolving in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, vertigo, and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD) have been denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a grant of service connection for these conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to his military service and granted service connection for this condition, assigning a 10% disability rating.

The Veteran's claim of service connection for prostate cancer was denied as there is no evidence linking the condition to his military service. The claim of service connection for tinnitus remains pending.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than February 3, 2006, for the grant of service connection for diabetes type II. The Veteran did not file a formal claim prior to this date and there is no evidence indicating that he sought benefits within one year after separation from active duty.

The Veteran died with a combined disability rating of 70% due to macular degeneration, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The claim for DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 is denied as the Veteran did not meet the requirement of having been rated totally disabled for at least 10 years immediately preceding death.

The Veteran's recurrent tinnitus is found to be related to his active service, specifically the noise exposure he experienced during his military service. As a result, the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and recurrent tinnitus are at least as likely as not related to his active service, including in-service acoustic trauma. As such, the appeal is granted.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his military service. The claim for new and material evidence for bilateral hearing loss was also granted.

The Veteran's service-connected tinnitus is currently rated at the maximum 10 percent disability rating, and there is no legal basis for a higher evaluation.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and initial rating of hearing loss are being remanded due to the need for further development, including medical opinions on the etiology of his conditions.

The Veteran's PTSD, hearing loss disability, and tinnitus were granted effective March 22, 2001.,The Veteran was awarded a TDIU effective July 12, 1999.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to noise exposure during service, while his tinnitus cannot be linked to any specific incident or condition. Service connection for bilateral hearing loss is granted, but not for tinnitus.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for tinnitus and hearing loss, right ear were denied as there is no legal basis to assign separate or higher disability ratings under VA rating criteria.

The Board found that the Veteran's tinnitus and low back disorder were not incurred in or aggravated by service, nor could they be presumed to have been incurred. The Veteran's PTSD was rated as 70 percent disabling throughout the appeal period.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by active service, as there was no evidence of hearing loss during service or within one year post-service. The current hearing loss is less likely related to military noise exposure.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection, including obtaining medical opinions regarding the etiology of his claimed conditions.