Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2012

The Veteran is not entitled to service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, anxiety and alcohol abuse.,Service connection is denied for hearing loss as there is no evidence of a current disability related to service or any other compensable level of hearing loss within one year after separation from service.,Service connection is denied for tinnitus as there is no evidence of a current disability related to service or any other compensable level of hearing loss within one year after separation from service.,Service connection is denied for a respiratory/lung disorder (to include COPD and lung nodules) due to lack of evidence showing the condition was incurred in or caused by service.

The Board found that the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by active service, and thus denied both claims.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. No service connection decisions were made.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings and service connection, finding that new and material evidence had not been received to reopen his claims. The Veteran's lumbosacral strain with degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine was rated at 20 percent disabling, while radiculopathy of the right lower extremity and left lower extremity were each rated at 20 percent disabling as of June 11, 2010.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's service-connected right leg amputation contributed substantially or materially to his death, resulting in a finding of service connection for the cause of his death.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities rated at 20 percent or more do not meet the criteria for vocational rehabilitation benefits under Chapter 31, Title 38, United States Code due to his advanced educational attainments and transferable past employment skills.

The Veteran's appeal is denied as he does not have tinnitus and the Board finds that there is no evidence to support service connection for this condition.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus began during active service and is related to noise exposure, thus granting service connection for tinnitus.

The Board has remanded the case for further development of service records and to determine if the Veteran's diabetes mellitus, type II is related to his military service. The issues of entitlement to service connection for left ear hearing loss, tinnitus, and diabetes mellitus, type II remain on appeal.

The Board found that the Veteran's tinnitus is not related to service or his service-connected migraine headaches, and denied the claim.

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple service connection claims for various conditions, as well as a claim for an increased rating and TDIU. The Board has determined that additional development is needed to address these issues.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral tinnitus is the result of acoustic trauma in service, resolving all doubt in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's claims for service connection are being remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding the relationship between his current hearing loss, tinnitus, and right ear otalgia and events in service. Further development is needed.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for residuals of traumatic brain injury, including cognitive deficits such as reading problems and tinnitus, is denied. The Board finds no current disability involving a traumatic brain injury residual.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to in-service noise exposure, and service connection for PTSD with an initial rating of 50 percent from March 2008 is granted. The issue of a higher initial rating for PTSD is withdrawn by the Veteran.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his active service, as evidenced by the VA examination findings and the examiner's reasoning.

The Board found no evidence of a causal connection between the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities and his active service, including noise exposure. The VA examiner opined that these conditions are not related to service.

The Veteran's tinnitus is related to noise exposure during his active service, and the Board finds that a current diagnosis of tinnitus cannot be reasonably disassociated from service. Therefore, service connection for tinnitus is granted.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus warrant a combined disability evaluation of 60 percent, which is sufficient to meet the criteria for TDIU. The Board finds that the evidence supports the conclusion that the Veteran is unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board finds that the Veteran has a hearing loss disability of the right ear as a result of active service, and grants service connection for this condition. The claim for tinnitus is denied as there is no evidence linking it to service.