Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2012

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus were incurred during service, and have been continuously present since then. As such, both conditions are granted as service connected.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence has not been received to reopen the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. As such, these claims are denied.

The Veteran's claims for diabetes mellitus, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss were denied as there was no evidence of service connection or exposure to herbicides. The Board found that the Veteran did not serve in Vietnam during the Vietnam era and thus could not be granted presumptive service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are at least as likely as not related to his period of service, including exposure to noise during active duty. Service connection is granted for these conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, including exposure to noise. The lumbar spine disability claim is pending as it has been remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected tinnitus is currently rated at 10 percent, and the Board finds that this rating adequately reflects the severity of his condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is causally related to his active duty service and grants the claim for service connection.

The Veteran does not have a diagnosed condition of bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, or a skin disability of the feet that can be linked to his service. The Board finds no evidence of a heart condition secondary to PTSD.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for sleep disorder and tinnitus as there is no evidence of a diagnosed disability or link to service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and providing the Veteran with VA examinations to address his claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, cervical spine disability, and numbness and tingling of the lower extremities.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no evidence of in-service noise exposure or chronic disability. The examiner opined that it is not possible to determine if military noise exposure caused current hearing loss.

The Board has remanded the claims for additional development due to unclear audiometric test results and insufficient etiological opinions regarding tinnitus.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including degenerative disc disease and degenerative joint disease of the lumbar spine, cervical spine, tinnitus, right knee disorders, and bilateral hearing loss, do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board found no evidence of a current hearing loss impairment or service connection for tinnitus. The appellant's claims were denied.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current condition is as likely as not related to his in-service noise exposure. The negative medical opinion regarding a nexus was deemed insufficient due to its lack of detail and reasoning.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be related to his in-service combat exposure, warranting service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current diagnosis of left ear hearing loss, but he currently has right ear hearing loss and tinnitus. The claim for service connection for left ear hearing loss is denied as there is no evidence of a disability at present. Service connection is granted for right ear hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as a rating in excess of 30 percent for PTSD. The appeal was not about service connection at all.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims of entitlement to service connection for tinnitus, finding that his complaints are related to active service. However, the claim for bilateral hearing loss was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability within one year after discharge from service and the audiometric test results did not meet VA criteria for hearing loss.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's credible statements establish he was in the vicinity of an airplane crash during service, which contributed to his current hearing loss and ringing in ears.