Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2013

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claimed conditions are not service-connected, with no presumption of exposure to ionizing radiation. The VA opinions found no evidence linking the current conditions to his military service.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for hearing loss of the right ear was denied as he does not currently have a diagnosed condition. The Board found that his left ear hearing loss is presumed to be due to in-service noise exposure, but did not find any evidence linking tinnitus to service.

The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by service, as there was no evidence of a current disability related to military noise exposure. The preponderance of the evidence is against a finding of service connection for these conditions.

The Veteran's TDIU claim was granted, as his combined service-connected disabilities (80% and later 90%) meet the criteria for a TDIU. The VA examiner found that all of the Veteran's service-connected conditions, including diabetes mellitus type 2, aggravated his rosacea.

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

The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was not aggravated by service, and the Board found no increase in disability during service. The Veteran's tinnitus was not related to his active duty service.,Tinnitus was diagnosed after service but is not considered a result of noise exposure during service.

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

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his military service, including exposure to noise from grenades, M-16 rifles, trucks, and engine explosions. As a result, the claims for service connection have been granted.

The Veteran withdrew his appeal of the claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus before a decision was made by the Board.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not incurred in or aggravated by service.

The Board has remanded the case for a new VA examination to determine if the Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his in-service noise exposure or his pre-existing bilateral hearing loss.

The Veteran's tinnitus was found to have first manifested during service and has persisted since then, warranting service connection. The right ear hearing loss disability by regulation is not shown at any time during the appeal period, thus preventing service connection.

The Board found that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus disabilities were not incurred in or related to his military service, including due to noise exposure. The VA examiner concluded it was less likely than not that these conditions are linked to his service.

The Veteran's service-connected conditions do not prevent him from securing and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded due to the need for further development of evidence regarding his specific learning disability and its impact on employment, as well as an assessment of the combined effect of his service-connected disabilities on his employability.

The Board has determined that service connection is not warranted for tinnitus and the Veteran's right ear hearing loss disability, as there is no current evidence of a hearing loss disability under VA regulations.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to the death of the appellant during the pendency of the appeal.

The Veteran's tinnitus is related to in-service acoustic trauma, and the Board has granted service connection for this condition.

The Board has granted service connection for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are related to his military service due to exposure to loud noises. The decision is based on presumptive service connection.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for higher initial disability ratings and service connection for various conditions, including tinnitus, hearing loss, rotator cuff disability of the right shoulder with bone spur, post-operative cervical strain with spinal stenosis, allergic rhinitis, skin disability manifested by urticarial wheals, and loss of tooth No. 19.