Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2012

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for additional development, including obtaining personnel records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need to obtain additional medical records, clarify treatment from VA and private providers, and provide a new VA examination for psychiatric and bilateral hearing loss/tinnitus.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal for the claims of service connection for tinnitus, sprained fingers, a left third finger fracture, cervical trauma, a left groin pull, a chipped bone, left elbow, a chipped bone, right elbow, a right hamstring disability (also claimed as thigh), a left hamstring disability (also claimed as thigh), right Achilles tendon trauma; lateral ligament injury, left wrist trauma, right wrist trauma, a right hand disability, to include carpal tunnel syndrome (claimed as nerve problem and trauma), depression, chronic pain syndrome, left Achilles tendon trauma, a left hand disability, to include carpal tunnel syndrome (claimed as nerve problem and trauma), and status post right great toe fracture.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining a VA examination and addressing his employability based on his service-connected disabilities.

The Board found no evidence of in-service noise exposure or symptoms of hearing loss and tinnitus during service. The Veteran's current conditions are not considered to be related to his military service.

The Board found that the Veteran's currently diagnosed tinnitus is related to his active service, resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran and granting service connection for tinnitus.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus should be remanded due to a need for additional medical evidence, specifically audiometric test results from his employment at Kennesaw Transportation.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have not been sufficient by themselves to preclude all forms of substantially gainful employment consistent with his education and occupational background. The Board finds that the criteria for a TDIU, including on an extra-schedular basis, are not met.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities do not render him unemployable as he can secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation with reasonable accommodations.

The Board has remanded the case due to the Veteran's request for a personal hearing before a Veterans Law Judge.

The Veteran's service-connected tinnitus is already rated at the maximum allowable under the applicable rating criteria, and no higher rating can be granted. The RO has not provided a disability rating in excess of 10 percent for his bilateral hearing loss or follicular eczema.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to the need for additional development of medical records and examinations.

The Board has remanded the case for further development due to the need for a VA examination to determine if the Veteran meets VA's definition of hearing loss and whether his bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to service.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have rendered him unemployable, as the evidence is in equipoise regarding his ability to secure and maintain substantially gainful employment due to these disabilities. The Board grants a TDIU based on this finding.

The Board dismissed the appeal because the Veteran only appealed issues of hearing loss and tinnitus, not hypertension. The RO subsequently granted service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are rated at 70 percent combined, meeting the schedular requirements for a TDIU rating. However, due to other non-service connected disabilities, the Board finds that he is not unemployable solely based on his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to assess the etiology of his right knee and leg condition, as well as supplemental opinions regarding his hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are likely due to his combat-related exposure to hazardous noise levels during his service, including in the Republic of Vietnam. The benefit of doubt is applied in favor of the Veteran.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and depression as the evidence did not show they were incurred in or caused by service. The Veteran's current diagnoses are related to his military noise exposure.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss disability and tinnitus were found to be related to his service, while right ear hearing loss was not shown during the appeal period.