Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2012

The Board found that the reduction of VA compensation benefits for military drill pay was proper and denied the appellant's appeal.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to determine the nature and etiology of the Veteran's hearing loss disability and tinnitus, as well as whether these conditions are related to his military service. The case will be remanded for further action.

The Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus were not shown to be related to service, as his pure tone thresholds did not meet the criteria for a disability under VA regulations. The Board found that the Veteran's current hearing loss was not incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board found no evidence of a current tinnitus disability related to the Veteran's period of active military service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss disability, tinnitus, and chronic acquired psychiatric disorder to include PTSD, bipolar disorder, and anxiety disorder are all found to have been incurred in service.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for tinnitus, growths on the back and lower stomach, residuals of a head injury, right ankle disability, degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, and bilateral knee disability. The appeals were decided as 'direct' service connection cases without any presumption or secondary service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for a medical examination to determine the current impact of his service-connected disabilities on his employability. Additional relevant medical records, including VA and Travis Air Force Base records, are also requested.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left ankle disability, diagnosed as osteoarthritis, is service-connected. The remaining claims for right hip and right knee disabilities, as well as tinnitus, are denied.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining medical records and scheduling examinations to address the severity of his service-connected conditions and their relationship to service.

The Board has determined that new and material evidence sufficient to reopen the Veteran's claim of entitlement to service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability has been received. The claim is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination.

The Board has granted service connection for PTSD and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current diagnoses are related to her in-service stressors. The decision is based on direct service connection due to the presence of a diagnosed condition (PTSD) and an established link between symptoms and in-service stressors.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus and migraine headaches are secondary to his service-connected acquired psychiatric disorder, leading to a grant of service connection for both conditions.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current tinnitus is related to his military service, raising a reasonable doubt in favor of the claim and granting service connection for tinnitus.

The Veteran's tinnitus was found to be related to noise exposure in service, and the Board granted service connection for this condition. The claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss is pending.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's symptoms are related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case due to inadequate medical opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The Veteran is seeking service connection for these conditions, which are currently denied.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus, render him unemployable due to his mental health conditions. The Board finds that the evidence is in equipoise regarding whether these disabilities prevent the Veteran from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation.

The Board denied the appellant's claims for service connection for hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that new evidence did not relate to an unestablished fact necessary to substantiate the claim and did not show a nexus between the conditions and his military service.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are granted as they are etiologically related to active duty service.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's currently diagnosed tinnitus is related to his period of active military service. The issues of hearing loss, hypertension, and lymphoma are remanded due to incomplete records and need for further examination.