Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2013

The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were incurred during his active service, and the Board has determined that these conditions are related to exposure to loud noises in service. The appeal is granted.

The Veteran's tinnitus is found to be incurred in active military service.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's conditions are related to his in-service noise exposure.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for TDIU was denied as there is no evidence that he was unable to obtain and maintain substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities prior to May 22, 2006.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to lack of substantial compliance with previous remand directives. The Veteran's hearing loss is alleged to be related to in-service noise exposure, but further examination is needed to determine if this claim should proceed.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have bilateral hearing loss or tinnitus that is incurred in, due to or aggravated by service. Therefore, the claims for service connection are denied.

The Board finds that the Veteran's tinnitus is related to his military service and grants service connection for this condition. For bilateral hearing loss, there is no evidence showing a direct relationship to service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including pulmonary edema, right knee disorder, left knee disorder, and other disabilities. The evidence did not support a finding of in-service incurrence or aggravation of these conditions.

The Board has granted the Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, finding that it was incurred during active duty due to noise exposure.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient explanations provided by the VA audiological opinions regarding the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus, which are related to service.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities alone were not of such severity as to preclude him from obtaining or maintaining any gainful employment between January 7, 2010 and March 4, 2011.

The Board finds that the Veteran's tinnitus is causally related to his military service, and therefore grants service connection for tinnitus.

The Board has denied service connection for visual changes, left ear hearing loss, tinnitus, headaches, fatigue, sinus disorder, gastroenteritis, back disability, left knee disability, right knee disability, left shin splints, right shin splints, left heel spurs, right heel spurs, left flat foot, and right flat foot. The Board found that these conditions were not incurred or aggravated by service.

The Board has jurisdiction over the propriety of a compensable rating for residuals of fracture, left cheekbone, left malar. The Veteran's facial nerve damage, trigeminal nerve, is rated 10 percent since February 27, 2008.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's currently diagnosed tinnitus is related to his in-service acoustic trauma and grants service connection for this condition. The claim for bilateral hearing loss is denied as there is no current disability recognized under VA compensation criteria.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining a clarifying medical opinion regarding the nature and etiology of any hearing loss and tinnitus that may be present.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the eligibility requirements for a certificate of eligibility for specially adapted housing or a special home adaption grant due to his unsteady balance and coordination issues, which are not severe enough to qualify him under VA regulations.

The Board of Veterans' Appeals has determined that the Veteran's current tinnitus is not related to his service and therefore denied the claim for service connection.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need for a comprehensive VA medical opinion.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus was not incurred in service and denied his claim for service connection.