Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2012

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and determined that the Veteran's disabilities, including PTSD, migraine headaches, lumbar spine injury, erectile dysfunction (secondary to PTSD medications), and traumatic brain injury, render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The effective date of this decision is not specified.

The Veteran's claims for tinnitus, dysentery, right eye disability, bilateral foot and knee arthritis, bilateral ankle arthritis, rib disability, left eye disability, hearing loss, PTSD, and malaria have been reopened. The decision is mixed as some issues were granted while others were denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were less likely as not caused by or the result of military noise exposure, and thus denied both claims.

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

The Board has determined that the Veteran's left ear disabilities, including otitis media, hearing loss, and tinnitus, are service-connected based on direct evidence of a link between these conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to have originated during his active service and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal regarding the claims of entitlement to service connection for PTSD, dermatitis, cardiovascular disease, heart disability, muscle pain, and joint pain prior to a decision being made by the Board.

The Board found that the appellant's character of discharge from October 1969 to June 1972 constituted a bar to VA benefits, and denied all service connection claims.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU benefits is being remanded due to the need for a VA medical examination and additional development of his Social Security Administration records.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for earlier effective dates for service connection of bilateral tinnitus and left ear hearing loss, finding that no claim was filed prior to May 19, 2009.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a right thigh scar from a gunshot wound, collectively meet the schedular requirements for consideration of a TDIU. With full consideration of his educational background and occupational experience, and resolving doubt in his favor, the Veteran is precluded from obtaining or retaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, a stomach disability, hypertension, and tinnitus have been denied as there is no medical evidence or opinion suggesting a nexus between these conditions and active duty service or service-connected disabilities.,There is no clear indication of a chronic stomach disability in the record. The VA examiner found no etiology with respect to the Veteran's complaints of abdominal pain.,The claim for service connection has been denied on the basis that there is insufficient medical evidence linking any current stomach disability to active duty service or service-connected disabilities.

The Board finds that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to his service, and resolves all doubts in favor of the Veteran. Service connection for tinnitus is granted.

The Board denied service connection for a psychiatric disorder other than PTSD, hearing loss, and tinnitus. The Veteran's statements regarding these conditions were deemed not competent evidence.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for additional examination and development of his claims.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including a VA audiologic examination and obtaining pertinent medical records.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection were denied. The claim for tinnitus was not addressed as it is already at the maximum schedular rating. The PTSD claim resulted in a higher initial rating, but the issues of reopening left knee and right knee disorders, bilateral hearing loss, cardiac disorder, breathing problem, and chronic fatigue with joint conditions remain unresolved.

The Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus were not shown to be related to service, and he does not meet the income requirements for nonservice-connected disability pension benefits.,The Veteran's countable income exceeded the applicable maximum annual pension rate (MAPR) for the time period in question.

The Veteran's claims for higher initial ratings for bilateral tinnitus and service connection for a low back disability were denied. The Board found that the highest possible rating for his tinnitus was 10 percent, which is the maximum allowed under VA regulations. For the low back disability claim, the examiner did not find any evidence of an in-service injury or event related to the Veteran's current condition.

The Veteran withdrew his claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus prior to the Board's decision.