Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2013

The Board denied service connection for a heart disorder, Bell's palsy, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The Veteran was exposed to noise during service but his hearing levels were normal at the time of separation.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to have had its onset during service, and the Board grants service connection for this condition. The right foot and left foot disabilities are remanded for additional examination.

The Veteran's tinnitus was granted service connection. The Board found the Veteran credible in his assertion that he experienced tinnitus since service, and resolved reasonable doubt in his favor.

The Board has determined that further development is needed to determine the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, including consideration of in-service noise exposure and treatment for ear disorders. The claims are being remanded for these purposes.

The Board finds that service connection is granted for tinnitus, but not for left ear hearing loss or renal cancer of the left kidney.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment for which his education and occupational experience would otherwise qualify.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, particularly his right and left knee disabilities, render him unemployable. The Board grants entitlement to TDIU based on the severity of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case for further development, including a single VA examination to assess the impact of the Veteran's service-connected disabilities on his ability to maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his in-service noise exposure, resulting in a grant of service connection for both conditions.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are attributable to service, granting his claims for service connection.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claims for tinnitus, low back pain, and a nasal disorder are not supported by competent evidence linking these conditions to his active service.

The Board has reopened the claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss and finds that new evidence supports a finding that the Veteran's hearing loss is related to his military service. However, there is no evidence to support a finding that he incurred tinnitus during service.

The appeal has been withdrawn by the appellant's authorized representative, thus the case is dismissed.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of the medical record to determine if his bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to in-service noise exposure. The examiner must provide a clear opinion on whether it is at least as likely as not that these conditions are due to service.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus meet the criteria for a TDIU as they are of common etiology, with combined evaluations meeting the minimum schedular requirements. The Board finds that the Veteran is unemployable due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus have rendered him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation, meeting the criteria for a TDIU.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus are related to his active duty military service, granting service connection for both conditions.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are at least as likely as not related to his in-service acoustic trauma, and thus grants service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his active duty service, resulting in a grant of service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus disability is rated at 10 percent under Diagnostic Code 6260, which is the maximum schedular rating available for tinnitus. The claim for an increased evaluation is denied as there are no exceptional or unusual circumstances of his service-connected tinnitus to warrant extraschedular consideration.