Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2012

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is attributable to service, while his tinnitus was not related to service.

The Board has remanded the tinnitus service connection claim for additional development, while the hearing loss rating issue remains denied.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral (right and left ear) hearing loss based on noise exposure in service. For tinnitus, the Board found that it is at least as likely as not incurred in service due to noise exposure.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to his in-service noise exposure, meeting the criteria for direct service connection. The hearing loss claim was denied as there is no evidence of a current disability meeting VA criteria.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus and found that the Veteran's hearing loss is related to his active service. The claim of an initial compensable evaluation for bilateral hearing loss remains pending.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied as there was no evidence of a current disability, and the Board found that his reported conditions did not meet VA criteria for a hearing loss disability or tinnitus. The Veteran failed to report for scheduled examinations.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to his active service, and he is granted service connection for this condition. The issues of bilateral hearing loss and a lung disability (emphysema and COPD) are remanded for further development.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is service-connected as it had its onset during his active duty, supported by his combat experience and consistent with the circumstances of his service.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to fully and fairly consider the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. Specifically, efforts are required to obtain the Veteran's complete service personnel records, including his Naval Reserves discharge examination and any other relevant in-service medical records.

The Board has determined that additional development is necessary to properly adjudicate the claim for a total disability evaluation based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities. This includes obtaining updated VA and private medical records, scheduling a VA social and industrial survey, and scheduling a VA orthopedic examination.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that his current conditions are more likely due to age-related changes rather than noise exposure during military service. The claim for an increased rating for left shoulder disability was also denied.

The Board has determined that a remand is necessary to obtain additional medical opinions regarding the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as to obtain any pertinent VA treatment records. The claims will be readjudicated following completion of these actions.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA treatment records and an addendum from the examiner who provided the November 2011 report. The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are pending.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current disabilities are related to his military service. The claim of service connection for a back disorder is denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or link to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding no current disability for hearing loss and insufficient evidence to establish a link between in-service noise exposure and tinnitus.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied as there is no legal basis to award separate schedular evaluations for each ear, and the maximum schedular rating of 10 percent has been assigned for both conditions.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, tinnitus, and bilateral hearing loss. The right knee disability claim is pending in the REMAND portion of this decision.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be a result of acoustic trauma during his period of active military service, and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's tinnitus and PTSD are service-connected, with the tinnitus granted based on in-service noise exposure. The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 30 percent, which is the maximum rating available under the General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is sufficient evidence to establish a link between these conditions and his military service. The decision also acknowledges the Veteran's exposure to acoustic trauma during periods of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) and inactive duty for training (INACDUTRA).