Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2013

The Veteran's combined disability rating is 60 percent, which does not meet the criteria for a total disability rating based on individual unemployability due to service-connected disabilities.

The Board has decided to remand the case for additional development, including verification of periods of active duty and inactive duty training, obtaining Reserve service records, and providing a VA audiological examination.

The Board finds that the Veteran's current tinnitus was incurred in active duty and grants service connection for tinnitus.

The Veteran's tinnitus was incurred in service and the Board finds that his lay testimony regarding the onset of symptoms during service is credible. As a result, the claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his military service, as there is no evidence of a current disability within one year after separation from service or during service. The VA examiner concluded that the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus were less likely than not caused by noise exposure in service.

The Veteran was granted service connection for tinnitus, as his assertions regarding the onset of tinnitus in service are credible and supported by lay evidence. The Board found that there were equally weighted opinions for and against the claim, thus granting service connection.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including left shoulder strain, lumbar disc disease, L5-S1 radiculopathy of the left lower extremity, and other conditions, are found to preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for left ear hearing loss and tinnitus have been denied as there is no evidence of current disability meeting VA criteria or a causal relationship to in-service noise exposure.

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

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be related to his military service, and the claim for service connection is granted.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be attributable to service, and the Board grants service connection for this condition.

The Board has found that the Veteran's tinnitus is etiologically related to noise exposure during active service and granted service connection for this condition. The claim for bilateral hearing loss remains pending as it was not addressed in the decision.

The Board has determined that the appellant's tinnitus is not related to noise exposure in service and therefore does not meet the criteria for service connection.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are found to be related to his active duty service. The claims for peripheral neuropathy of the upper extremities and hypertension, both claimed as secondary to diabetes mellitus, type II, are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to have originated during service and continues to the present, meeting the criteria for service connection.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and need for further examination. The Veteran's tinnitus claim will be evaluated based on noise exposure, while his PTSD with depression claim may require verification of a stressor event.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for proper notice letters, updated VA treatment records, and puretone audiometric test results.

The Board has decided to remand the case for further development due to questions regarding the exact nature and etiology of the Veteran's claimed hearing loss and tinnitus, including potential exposure to noise during service.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by active service, as there was no evidence of such during service or within one year post-service. The VA examiner opined that the disabilities are more likely related to civilian noise exposure than military service.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded to the RO for scheduling a hearing before a Veterans Law Judge at his local VA office.