Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2012

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection and an initial noncompensable rating for bilateral hearing loss. The Board found that the Veteran's current symptoms are related to his in-service noise exposure, but noted that there is no evidence of a compensable level of hearing impairment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus did not occur during service or is otherwise related to a service-connected disability, and therefore denied the claim for service connection.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service. The claim for PTSD was recharacterized as a psychiatric disorder.

The Veteran's claims for a higher rating for right knee disability, service connection for right hip and low back disabilities, and tinnitus were denied. The Board found that the Veteran did not have current tinnitus or chronic right hip or low back disabilities attributable to his military service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to fully and fairly consider the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. This includes obtaining private medical records, conducting a VA examination, and requesting further development based on new information provided by the Veteran.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be service-connected due to exposure to noise during his active duty. The claim for a TDIU rating is granted based on the combined disability ratings.

The Veteran seeks service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The Board finds that additional development is needed, including obtaining service personnel records to corroborate noise exposure in service and conducting a VA audiological examination.

The Board has determined that the appellant's tinnitus was incurred during active military service and is granted service connection.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a VA examination to determine if the Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment. The appeal is currently in remand status.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including an Administrative Decision regarding his service from December 1983 to April 1989 and a VA examination to determine the etiology of his hearing loss and PTSD.

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 loss or tinnitus during service. The Veteran's statements about when he first noticed these conditions were inconsistent with the contemporaneous medical records.

The Veteran's claim for PTSD has been granted, and he is entitled to a 10% evaluation for recurrent tinnitus. The claims for left ankle and leg disabilities have not met the criteria for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for clarification of the nature of his incarceration and to determine if he was incarcerated due to a felony conviction, which would affect the overpayment calculation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current bilateral hearing loss disability for VA compensation purposes and his tinnitus is unrelated to service. Therefore, the claims for service connection for these conditions are denied.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his in-service noise exposure, leading to a grant of service connection for these conditions.

The Board dismissed the Veteran's appeal due to his death, and thus no jurisdiction remains for further action.

The Veteran seeks service connection for right hearing loss and tinnitus. He also claims hypertension and diabetes mellitus as due to exposure to Agent Orange.,The Veteran seeks service connection for benign prostatic hypertrophy as secondary to prostate cancer. He also seeks a higher rating for prostate cancer, including urinary incontinence and the need for absorbent materials.,Service connection is granted for hypertension and type II diabetes mellitus as due to herbicide exposure during service. The Veteran's prostate cancer warrants a 40 percent disability rating since September 1, 2008.,The Veteran seeks an increased rating for PTSD. He also seeks TDIU based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus are etiologically related to noise exposure during active service, thus granting service connection for these conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran's residuals of a head injury, to include headaches and tinnitus, were not incurred in active service.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for low back disability, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and skin condition (secondary to herbicide exposure) due to inadequate development.