Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2013

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus did not manifest during service or for many years thereafter, and is not otherwise related to such service. As a result, the claim of entitlement to service connection for tinnitus is denied.

The Board found that the Veteran's claims for right ear hearing loss and tinnitus were not reopened due to lack of new and material evidence, and denied both claims as they did not meet the criteria for service connection.

The Board has determined that additional development is needed to properly adjudicate the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. The case is therefore REMANDED.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining private medical records and scheduling a VA examination to address the etiology of the Veteran's vertigo/Meniere's syndrome.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is causally related to exposure to acoustic trauma during active duty service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including an examination to address the relationship between the appellant's tinnitus and his period of ACDUTRA in 1962. The appeal will be reconsidered after this additional development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for additional development, including a VA examination and consideration of whether referral for extraschedular TDIU benefits is warranted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to assess his ability to work due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unable to care for his daily needs without requiring the regular aid and attendance of another person, nor is he bedridden or housebound.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for higher ratings and service connection due to incomplete or unclear evidence, including a need for VA examinations.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current disability is attributable to inservice acoustic trauma.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claims for service connection for headaches, tinnitus, and bilateral flat feet. The claim for a left ankle disability was withdrawn by the Veteran during his hearing on appeal. The claim for a left wrist disability was also withdrawn.

The Veteran's tinnitus, hypertension, bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, and refractive error are not service-connected. The Board found that the evidence did not support a finding of aggravation or direct service connection for any of these conditions.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded for additional examinations and development of the claims, including a VA examination to determine the etiology of his tinnitus.

The Board finds that the Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral sensorineural hearing loss are related to his active duty service, as he was exposed to loud noise during his time as a helicopter pilot in Vietnam. The claims for service connection are granted.

The Veteran withdrew his appeals regarding the initial evaluations for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus before the Board could make a decision.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims due to the need for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran is competent and credible in his report of exposure to acoustic trauma during service, experiencing bilateral constant tinnitus during service, and having experienced continuous symptoms of tinnitus since service. Service connection for tinnitus is granted.

The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be related to his military service, but the issue of entitlement to service connection for tinnitus is remanded due to a failure to issue a statement of the case.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral lower extremities are service-connected due to secondary service connection via diabetes mellitus type II.,The Veteran's peripheral neuropathy of the bilateral upper extremities is also service-connected due to secondary service connection via diabetes mellitus type II.