Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2012

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his service, as there is no evidence of a significant shift in his hearing acuity during his period of service or within the first year thereafter. The VA examiner concluded that the Veteran's hearing loss was less likely than not related to his inservice noise exposure.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are at least as likely as not incurred in service, resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Board has reopened the claim for service connection for tinnitus and granted it. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is not considered a disability under VA criteria.

The Veteran's asthma/bronchitis, tinea pedis, hearing loss, and tinnitus claims are being remanded for further development including obtaining service treatment records, VA examinations, and additional medical opinions.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining service treatment records and a VA examination to determine if current hearing loss, tinnitus, or right knee disability are related to service.

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

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have a current bilateral hearing loss disability or tinnitus disability that is etiologically related to service. The preponderance of evidence is against finding that these conditions were incurred in or aggravated by active service.

The Veteran is seeking an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss. He also seeks a higher initial rating for his ischemic heart disease with coronary artery disease and entitlement to service connection for erectile dysfunction and a skin disorder.,The Veteran is seeking an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for hypertension. The RO has yet to issue a Statement of the Case on this issue, as it pertains to both the effective date assigned for hearing loss and the disability rating assigned for hypertension.,The Veteran seeks higher initial ratings for his ischemic heart disease with coronary artery disease and entitlement to service connection for erectile dysfunction and a skin disorder. The RO has yet to issue a Statement of the Case on these issues, as they are intertwined with the earlier effective date claim for hearing loss.,The Veteran is seeking an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for his erectile dysfunction and a skin disorder (psoriasis). He contends that both conditions are related to his active duty service or exposure to herbicides. The RO has yet to issue a Statement of the Case on these issues, as they are intertwined with the earlier effective date claim for hearing loss.,The Veteran is seeking an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for his skin disorder (psoriasis). He contends that it is related to exposure to herbicides during active duty. The RO has yet to issue a Statement of the Case on this issue, as it is intertwined with the earlier effective date claim for hearing loss.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, resolving all reasonable doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to inadequate examination and the need for further development of his hearing loss and tinnitus claims.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to his in-service noise exposure, and service connection for this condition is granted.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for chronic bilateral hearing loss disability and chronic tinnitus have been withdrawn. The appeal for service connection for chronic head injury residuals is being remanded.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus disability are found to preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment, which is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to inconsistencies in his employment history and the need for additional development, including a VA examination to determine if he is unemployable due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not render him unemployable, and his claim for TDIU is denied.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus meet the schedular criteria for a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability. However, his claim is denied as he does not have sufficient additional disabilities to bring his combined rating to 70 percent.

The Veteran has withdrawn his appeals for the issues of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus and hepatitis C.

The Board has determined that there is no current diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder and a right ear hearing loss disability. The Veteran's service connection claims for major depressive disorder, sleep disorder, left ear hearing loss disability, and tinnitus have been denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, left foot and ankle disorders, and shoulder, back, and leg disorders. The most probative evidence did not indicate a relationship between these conditions and his active service.