Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2012

The Veteran has withdrawn their appeal, resulting in the dismissal of this case.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development and clarification of medical opinions regarding hearing loss, tinnitus, right lung cancer, and an acquired psychiatric disorder.

The Board has determined that the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus must be remanded due to incomplete development of the record, including obtaining post-service treatment records and addressing a claim for service connection for Meniere's disease.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to additional, pertinent evidence being added to his case file.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including sleep apnea, mood disorder due to chronic pain, and various musculoskeletal conditions, render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The Board finds that he is entitled to a TDIU.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, as there was no evidence of hearing impairment at separation from service. The VA opinion provided a thorough rationale for this conclusion.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus started while on active duty and has continued since then, warranting service connection. The claim for bilateral hearing loss is remanded to obtain additional medical opinions.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, finding that there is an approximate balance of positive and negative evidence in favor of a link between the Veteran's current tinnitus and his military service. The hearing loss claim is remanded due to the need for additional development.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to inadequate development and examination.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his service, with the exception of a possible association between the tinnitus and hearing loss. The VA examiner opined that it was less likely than not that these conditions were caused by service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to outstanding service treatment records and clarification of his tinnitus claim.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to his military service, with the Board granting service connection for this condition.,Service connection was denied for the Veteran's low back disability due to a lack of evidence linking it to his active duty.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development to determine the nature and extent of his service-connected disabilities, as well as whether he has other disabilities that are related to his military service.

The Board found no current bilateral hearing loss disability for VA purposes and denied service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability. The Veteran's tinnitus was not shown to be related to his military service.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to inadequate VA examination, as the examiner did not address whether his current disabilities were related to service noise exposure.

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

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his active service, with noise exposure during military service being a significant factor.

The Veteran's claim for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability. The claim for bilateral tinnitus was granted as the Veteran provided credible testimony of its onset during service and persistence since then.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his in-service acoustic trauma, resolving all doubts in favor of the Veteran. As such, service connection for these conditions is granted.

The Board found that the Veteran's tinnitus is not related to his service, specifically noting inconsistencies in his statements regarding when he first experienced ringing in his ears.