Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2013

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are as likely as not related to his active service, including exposure to loud noise during his time in an artillery unit.

The Veteran's left ear hearing loss is found to have its onset during service and granted service connection. The right ear hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to service.

The Board finds that the Veteran's left ear hearing loss disability and tinnitus are etiologically related to noise exposure during active service, while his right ear hearing loss disability does not meet VA standards for a current disability. Therefore, he is granted service connection for left ear hearing loss disability and tinnitus but denied service connection for right ear hearing loss disability.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining records from private healthcare providers and seeking reasonable efforts to obtain these records. The Veteran's claims for service connection on appeal will be readjudicated after this development.

The Board denied service connection for glomerulonephritis, hearing loss, and tinnitus as secondary to a service-connected right knee disability.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not preclude him from securing or maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, singly or in combination, do not preclude him from obtaining or maintaining any form of substantially gainful employment.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities are not related to service, as there is no evidence of a nexus between these conditions and his military noise exposure. The Veteran's statements from VA forms and medical records do not provide sufficient credible evidence to support a finding that his hearing loss and tinnitus began during or were caused by his active duty.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for renal glycosuria and diabetes mellitus were denied in November 1988. The claim to reopen the issue of service connection for diabetes mellitus was denied by the Board in November 1989, which became final. New evidence received since these decisions is not considered new and material.

The Veteran's claims for service connection were denied as there is no evidence of chloracne, tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, hepatitis C, a skin disorder (including a rash and benign tumors of the face and back), or a right knee disorder during his military service. The exposure basis was presumed due to herbicide exposure in Vietnam.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings were denied. The Board found that the evidence did not support a compensable rating for right ear hearing loss, and denied entitlement to an evaluation in excess of 10 percent for tinnitus, lumbar strain with levoscoliosis prior to May 4, 2009, costochondritis (chest pain and shortness of breath), or hypertensive heart disease.

The Board has determined that the Veteran incurred tinnitus during his military service and resolves all doubt in favor of the Veteran, granting service connection for bilateral tinnitus.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of his current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board found that the Veteran's service-connected PTSD did not cause or contribute to his death, which was caused by an assault. The Board concluded that the Veteran's PTSD did not cause him to initiate a physical altercation resulting in his death.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his military noise exposure. Service connection for erectile dysfunction is also granted as secondary to diabetes mellitus.

The Veteran's tinnitus was not shown to be related to his military service, including exposure to loud noise. The Board found that the condition did not originate during service and has no other credible evidence linking it to service.

The Board has determined that a new VA examination is needed to determine if the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, including noise exposure.

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by service. The VA examiner found the conditions more likely due to presbycusis and/or some other etiology.

The Board has denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence does not support a nexus to active service.

The Board has granted service connection for right ear hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the evidence is at least in relative balance as to whether these conditions are etiologically related to active service. Service connection was also granted for tinnitus on a secondary basis due to the Veteran's service-connected right ear hearing loss.