Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2013

The Board found that new and material evidence had been received to reopen the claims of service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus. However, it was determined that there is no medical evidence linking these disabilities to service or any in-service noise exposure.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and a need for additional development, including obtaining medical records from periods of active duty for training (ACDUTRA) and an addendum opinion on the relationship between current hearing loss and tinnitus and service.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there was no current disability for VA purposes and that the preponderance of evidence did not support a nexus between his in-service noise exposure and his current conditions.

The VA determined that the Veteran's right ear hearing loss disability was not incurred in service and denied his claim. The Board found no evidence linking the current hearing loss to military service, including noise exposure.

The Board found that the Veteran's tinnitus did not manifest during service or within one year of separation, and is unrelated to service. The VA examiner opined that tinnitus was less likely than not caused by military noise exposure.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities were not incurred in service, as there was no evidence of a chronic disability present during or within one year after service. The VA examiner concluded that it was less likely than not that his current hearing loss and tinnitus were related to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is not related to service, and his hearing loss is less likely than not due to noise exposure in service. The claim for service connection for both conditions is denied.

The Board has requested a VA examination to determine if the Veteran currently has bilateral hearing loss disability and tinnitus, and whether these conditions are related to service. The case is being remanded for this purpose.

The Veteran's claim for a TDIU is being remanded due to the need for additional development, including an examination to assess her employability given her service-connected disabilities.

The Board has ordered a remand due to the need for additional development, including an examination to determine if there is any evidence of a previous tympanoplasty in the right ear and whether the Veteran's tinnitus is related to his military service.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for various conditions, including diabetes mellitus, skin cancer, coronary artery disease, bilateral peripheral neuropathy, erectile dysfunction, kidney condition, hypertension, and tinnitus. The decisions were based on a lack of evidence linking these conditions to his military service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran does not have hearing loss or tinnitus that is attributable to his active military service. The VA examinations and medical opinions provided no evidence linking these conditions to his time in service.

The Board has remanded the TDIU claim for further development, including obtaining a VA medical opinion on whether the Veteran's service-connected disabilities render him unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation. The case is also being returned to the RO with updated treatment records and readjudicated.

The Board has decided on the service connection claims, but new evidence submitted by the Veteran after the initial decision was not considered. The case is being remanded to consider this new evidence and determine if it should be used to vacate or modify the previous decisions.

The Board has granted service connection for left ear hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not related to his military service.

The Veteran's tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss have been rated at the maximum 10 percent disability rating under the applicable VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities. The evidence does not support a higher rating for either condition during the entire initial rating period.

The Veteran's tinnitus was found to be incurred during active service, and the Board granted service connection for this condition.

The Veteran withdrew all appeals prior to the Board's decision.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for vision disorder, lumbar spine degenerative disc disease, cervical spine strain with degenerative arthritis, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus. The evidence did not support a finding of service connection for these conditions.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's tinnitus is likely due to in-service noise exposure and grants service connection for this condition. The claim of service connection for bilateral hearing loss remains pending as there are no current VA purposes disabilities documented.