Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2013

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and residuals of shell fragment wounds, are found to be severe enough to prevent him from securing or maintaining employment. The Board grants the claim for TDIU.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's currently diagnosed bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his in-service exposure to excessive noise from small arms, and service connection is granted for both conditions.

The Veteran's combined rating for his service-connected disabilities (bilateral hearing loss, PTSD, left foot disability resulting from cold weather injury in service, and tinnitus) is 80 percent. This does not preclude him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a skin disability and tinnitus have been denied as there is no evidence of a current disability related to his active duty service.

The Veteran's appeal has been dismissed due to his death. The Board does not have jurisdiction to adjudicate the merits of these claims as he is no longer alive.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to the need to obtain additional medical records from his VA treatment history.

The Veteran currently has tinnitus, which he contends is due to hazardous noise exposure during active military service. The Board finds that the Veteran's symptoms of tinnitus began after such exposure and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus, to include as secondary to his service-connected bilateral hearing loss, is remanded due to the need for additional development and examination.

The Veteran is seeking service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, which he attributes to noise exposure during his naval service. The case has been remanded due to the need for a VA audiology examination.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient discussion of evidence and need for additional development regarding the etiology of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims of service connection for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, bilateral foot disability, and low back disability. The evidence did not show current disabilities or a link to service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development, including obtaining VA Vocational Rehabilitation and Education file, recent VA clinical records, and a VA psychiatric examination. The appellant's claim will be reconsidered based on the new evidence.

The Board has remanded the case due to issues related to the Veteran's hearing loss and tinnitus, specifically addressing the significance of puretone threshold shifts between reference and separation audiograms. The case will be returned for further review.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including diabetes, dizziness, kidney disorder, hearing loss, tinnitus, and erectile dysfunction, are not sufficiently disabling to prevent him from obtaining or maintaining substantially gainful employment given his prior vocational attainment, work history, and level of education.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is being remanded due to the need for a complete rationale on whether the tinnitus was caused by or aggravated by his service-connected hearing loss disability.

The Board found that the Veteran's tinnitus was not incurred in or aggravated by active military service and denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for additional development and consideration of new evidence. The issues of service connection for asthma and a higher initial rating for tinnitus are still pending.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development. The primary issues are whether service connection is warranted for a bilateral foot disorder and tinnitus, as well as an initial evaluation in excess of 20 percent for chronic low back strain.

The Board vacated its November 2012 decision due to the Veteran's death and dismissed the appeal.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to his service exposure to noise trauma, and thus grants service connection for both conditions.