Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2012

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus due to additional development being necessary, including scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is service-connected and granted service connection. For his bilateral hearing loss, the Board found no evidence of a compensable rating as his current disability level does not meet the criteria for any higher evaluation.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including consideration of entitlement to total disability rating based on individual unemployability prior to November 4, 2008.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have been granted. However, the appeal regarding increased ratings for gunshot wounds of the chest, left upper and lower extremities, and right upper extremity as well as residuals of a healed fracture of the right ankle has not progressed to a final decision.,The Veteran's posttraumatic stress disorder claim was withdrawn prior to the Board's consideration.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied as the evidence did not show that his service-connected conditions warranted a higher rating.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for tinnitus is being remanded due to his failure to appear at a previously scheduled hearing. His claim will be reconsidered.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for further development, including obtaining VA vocational rehabilitation records and providing the Veteran with a VA examination to determine his ability to secure and follow substantially gainful employment due to service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's disability compensation benefits were properly offset for 43 days due to receipt of military drill pay for Fiscal Year 2008.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are consistent with tinnitus and at least as likely as not related to in-service noise exposure. The claim for right ear hearing loss is pending due to conflicting medical opinions regarding its etiology.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus were denied as there is no evidence of current disabilities meeting VA criteria, and the Board finds that his statements are not credible enough to establish present disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability, as his combined rating is 40 percent and does not meet the schedular requirements. The Board finds that the Veteran's unemployability is due to a pre-existing work accident rather than his service-connected conditions.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current tinnitus is etiologically related to exposure to acoustic trauma in service and grants service connection for this condition. The bilateral hearing loss does not meet VA compensation criteria.

The Board is remanding the case for further development and adjudication, including affording the Veteran a hearing before the Decision Review Officer and the issuance of a statement of the case.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding no current disability meeting VA criteria for these conditions.

The Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to inadequate medical opinions regarding the relationship between current hearing disabilities and noise exposure in service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to insufficient evidence and the need for further development.

The Board found that the Veteran's benign prostatic hyperplasia with bladder outlet obstruction, status-post transurethral vaporization of the prostate, did not have its onset during active military service and was not incurred in service.,The Board also determined that the Veteran's erectile dysfunction did not have its onset during active military service.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim of service connection for tinnitus and finds that it is at least as likely as not related to his military service. The appeal is granted.

The Board finds that the Veteran's tinnitus is causally linked to his in-service acoustic trauma, and thus grants service connection for tinnitus.

The VA Board found no evidence of residuals from the Veteran's in-service head injury, and thus denied service connection for residuals of TBI.,VA did not find a current bilateral hearing loss disability or tinnitus that is related to service.